Noto Satoyama Satoumi: Rich Nature and Culture of a World Agricultural Heritage

Small rice terraces layered toward the sea, salt making carried out by ancient methods, and festivals and daily life in which people live close to nature. The satoyama satoumi spreading across the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa is a precious cultural landscape, the first in Japan to be certified as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. This scenery, uniting rich nature with the careful stewardship of the people who preserve it, sinks deep into the hearts of those who visit.

Highlights

Japan First World Agricultural Heritage

Noto Peninsula satoyama and satoumi were certified in 2011 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as Japan first Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). This recognized as globally precious the sustainable way of life in which people and nature coexist, uniting rice terraces, hill forests, coastal waters, traditional farming and fishing, and festivals. The very landscape and culture that Noto people have protected over long ages is a treasure of the world.

Shiroyone Senmaida

The scenery that symbolizes Noto satoyama satoumi is Shiroyone Senmaida. On a steep slope facing the Sea of Japan, more than a thousand small paddies step down in layers, and their beauty is overwhelming. Lit by the sunset sinking into the sea, golden in the autumn harvest, and illuminated in winter for the Aze no Kirameki event, they show many faces by season and time of day.

Traditional Life and Festivals

In Noto, salt making by the traditional raised-beach method and a food culture built on fresh seafood still thrive. Distinctive festivals such as the spirited Kiriko festivals are handed down across the region, so the daily life and faith of the people are keenly felt. Fermented-food culture and traditional crafts such as Wajima lacquerware are further charms unique to Noto.

Seasonal Enjoyment

Early summer, when the terraces turn green, autumn, when the rice ripens gold, and winter, with its illumination, each hold different beauty. In summer, raised-beach salt making is at its busiest, and you can watch this seaside tradition up close. The greenery of the hills and the bounty of the coastal sea welcome visitors with the character of every season.

Access and Basic Information

Access is by car from Kanazawa toward Wajima. Because the highlights are widely scattered across the peninsula, touring by car is convenient. Driving the Noto Satoyama Kaido, you can slowly savor the landscape and life of Noto satoyama satoumi. Public transport is limited, so check timetables and service status in advance.

Practical Travel Notes

• The Noto region was widely affected by the January 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the subsequent heavy rains. At Shiroyone Senmaida, rice cultivation, the owner program, and the illumination have resumed in stages, but access and event schedules vary from year to year. Before visiting, confirm the latest status via official information from Wajima City and each facility.
• The highlights are scattered, so a rental car is convenient. Open restaurants and fuel stations are limited in some areas, so plan with margin.
• For activities such as salt-making experiences, which vary by season and facility, advance reservations or inquiries are recommended.
• Buying and tasting local products also supports the people who preserve Noto satoyama satoumi.

A Word of Advice

The appeal of Noto satoyama satoumi deepens when you take in not only the scenery but the daily lives of the people who dwell there. Think of those who tend the terraces, make the salt, and carry on the festivals, and of the handwork and time layered into it all, as you explore slowly.

📚 Sources

This article is based on information published by Noto municipalities such as Wajima City and their tourism associations, public information on the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage designation, and details published by facilities such as the Shiroyone Senmaida terraced rice fields and the agehama salt farms. Following the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rains, the opening status of Shiroyone Senmaida, its illumination, and salt-making experiences vary by year. Fees, hours, access, and availability may change, so before setting out, be sure to confirm the latest conditions through Wajima City and each facility's official sources.

Visitor Checklist

• Time needed: With sights spread out, allow a half to full day to tour around, centered on Shiroyone Senmaida.
• What to bring: Wear comfortable shoes for the terraced fields and coast. Open eateries and gas stations are limited in some areas, so carry drinks and refuel early.
• Suggested route: Enjoy the terraces and Sea of Japan views at Shiroyone Senmaida, then link the sights covered in the article, such as viewing or trying agehama salt-making and places tied to the Kiriko festivals.
• Check in advance: Salt-making and similar experiences vary by season and facility. Reserving or inquiring ahead is reassuring.

Practical Information for Your Visit

* Because of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of Reiwa 6 (January 1, 2024) and the Okunoto torrential rains of Reiwa 6 (September 2024), facilities in the Okunoto area remain closed and traffic restrictions continue. Always check the official announcements of each facility and local authority before visiting.

• Shiroyone Senmaida rice terraces (Shiroyonemachi, Wajima City): The terraces themselves can be visited. The winter illumination "Azenokirameki" is not being held in fiscal year Reiwa 7 (2025)
• Senmaida Pocket Park roadside station: Operating on a reduced schedule, open only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (official information from the Wajima City Tourism Division and the Wajima City Tourism Association)
• Wajima Kiriko Art Museum: Closed for the time being due to damage from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of Reiwa 6 (2024)
• Wajima Lacquerware Hall: The ground-floor shop is open 8:30-17:00, year-round. The "Wajima Lacquerware Exhibition Room" on the second floor cannot currently be visited
• Wajima Morning Market: The permanent market in the city has not resumed; instead it is being held irregularly outside the city as the "Wajima Morning Market on the Road"
• Wajima Kobo Nagaya (craft workshops): Partially open
• Noroshi roadside station (at the start of the climb to Cape Rokkosaki): Open only at weekends, from Friday to Sunday
• Mitsukejima Island (Gunkanjima, Suzu City): About half of the southeastern side collapsed in the earthquake and its appearance has changed greatly. Access restrictions may be in place in the surrounding area
• Road information: Traffic restrictions linked to reconstruction works continue on the Noto Satoyama Kaido and the coastal sections of National Route 249. Check the day's restrictions on Ishikawa Prefecture's road information site "Ishikawa Michi Joho Net"
• Rail: The Noto Railway Nanao Line (Nanao to Anamizu) is running

* Reopening dates for the individual facilities have not yet been fixed. Please check each facility's official information before you set out. * There is no set sightseeing route for the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System "Noto's Satoyama and Satoumi." Please check the official information for the area you wish to visit. (Sources: Wajima City official website; Wajima City Tourism Association official website; Suzu City official website; Ishikawa Prefecture official tourism website "Hot Ishikawa Tabi-Net"; Wajima Lacquerware Commerce and Industry Cooperative official website; Ishikawa Michi Joho Net; Noto Railway official website)