Wakura Onsen and Notojima One Day Course

This relaxing day plan is based at Wakura, a famous Noto hot spring, and reaches the aquarium on Notojima island across the bridge. Wakura is recovering from the 2024 earthquake, and the number of inns reopening is slowly increasing. The Notojima Aquarium fully reopened in March 2025. Spend the day with the calm scenery of Nanao Bay.

Course Route

9:30 Start at Wakura Onsen Set out from Wakura, facing Nanao Bay. First stroll the spa town and warm up at the Yuttari Park foot bath. 10:30 Cross the Notojima Bridge to the Island Drive across the Notojima Bridge spanning Nanao Bay. The views of the sea and island from the bridge are refreshing. 11:00 Notojima Aquarium Visit the aquarium known for its dolphin show and penguin walk. It was damaged in the 2024 earthquake but fully reopened in March 2025 and is popular with families. Large tank displays such as the Blue World whale shark hall, one of the largest in the Hokuriku region, are worth seeing, but the animals on view can change over time, so check the official site for the latest information if there is a display you want to see. 13:00 Lunch and Satoumi Stroll on Notojima Enjoy seafood at a cafe or diner on the island and take a relaxed walk through the coastal village scenery. 15:00 Return to Wakura for the Public Bath Head back to Wakura and enjoy the warm, salt rich waters at the Soyu public bath. It has reopened since the earthquake, with a fee of 500 yen for adults (junior high school age and over), 150 yen for elementary school children and 50 yen for preschoolers, open 7:00 to 21:00 and closed on the fourth Thursday of each month. 16:30 An After Bath Walk in the Spa Town After your bath, stroll the spa town and browse sweet shops and souvenir stores to close out the day.

Highlights

Wakura is known as a salt hot spring that wells up from the sea and is said to warm you to the core. The views from the Notojima Bridge and the large tanks at the aquarium are well worth seeing. The calm scenery of Nanao Bay has a gentleness that helps you unwind.

Access and Tips

Using Wakura Onsen Station as a base, a rental car or bus is convenient for reaching Notojima. Since Wakura is still recovering, check the latest opening status of each facility in advance if you plan to stay overnight or take a day bath. The aquarium hours and displays can change by season.

Practical Travel Notes

• Best season and time: Nanao Bay is calm all year, but spring through autumn, when the sea shows a deep blue, is most comfortable. The aquarium is emptiest in the morning right after opening, and timing your visit around the dolphin show and other events is efficient.
• Time needed: From Wakura across the Notojima Bridge to the aquarium is about a 15 to 20 minute drive. Allowing one and a half to two hours for the aquarium and about two hours for lunch and an island stroll makes for an easy full day.
• Budget sense: The Wakura Soyu is around 500 yen for adults, and check the facility for the aquarium admission. The main costs are admission, the bath fee, meals, and the rental car. If you stay overnight to support the recovery, budget separately for lodging.
• Avoiding crowds: Weekends, long holidays, and summer break crowd the aquarium. Aim for right after opening, or take a good look at the large tanks during the gaps between dolphin shows.
• Nearby real spots: Besides the aquarium, Notojima holds the Notojima Glass Art Museum and glass studios overlooking Nanao Bay. The foot baths and drinking spring spots of the Wakura spa town are also worth combining.

A Quick Tip

Staying at recovering Wakura to support it can make for a memorable trip. Since facility hours and displays can change, checking the official site for the latest information before departure is reassuring. Combine Notojima and the hot spring at a relaxed pace and enjoy your time by Nanao Bay without rushing.

📚 Sources

This article draws on official tourism information from Nanao City and Ishikawa Prefecture, information published by facilities such as the Wakura Onsen tourism association and the Notojima Aquarium, and transport guidance, organizing a model course touring Wakura Onsen and Notojima from a general perspective. Wakura Onsen is still recovering from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, and inns' and facilities' operating status may change. The Notojima Aquarium's exhibits and hours also vary by period. Facilities' bathing and admission fees and closed days may change too. Please be sure to check the latest recovery and operating status on the official facility and tourism-association information before you set out.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: A one-day course from Wakura Onsen to the aquarium on Notojima is the guide. Allowing one to two hours for the aquarium and a few hours for lunch and an island stroll lets you go at an easy pace.
• What to bring / prepare: As travel is mainly by rental car or bus, plan with extra time. Bring a towel and a change of clothes for a day bath, and a jacket, as the shore can be breezy on some days.
• Suggested route: Following the body's flow, strolling the Wakura hot-spring town, crossing the Notojima Bridge to the aquarium, having lunch on the island, then returning to Wakura to finish at the public bath lets you enjoy Nanao Bay in a day.
• Ways to enjoy the surroundings: Enjoy it together with stops such as the Notojima Glass Art Museum, glass studios, and the foot baths in the Wakura hot-spring town. Staying overnight to support recovery also makes a memorable trip.
• Points to note: As Wakura Onsen is still recovering, be sure to check each facility's latest operating status in advance if planning to stay or take a day bath. The aquarium's exhibits also change by period.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Assumptions for this itinerary: About 7 hours (roughly 9:30 to 16:30) / mostly travel by car from a base at Wakura Onsen, crossing the Notojima Bridge. It takes 15 to 20 minutes by car from Wakura Onsen to the Notojima Aquarium via the Notojima Bridge.
• Notojima Aquarium: Open 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30) from March 20 to November 30, and 9:00-16:30 (last entry 16:00) from December 1 to March 19. Closed from December 29 to 31. The aquarium was damaged in the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, but it fully reopened on March 22, 2025.
• Note on the exhibits: There is the Whale Shark Hall, Blue World, which holds 1,600 tons of water and is one of the largest on the Sea of Japan side, but the whale shark itself is not currently on display. If there is a particular creature you want to see, be sure to check the latest information on the official website (tel. 0767-84-1271).
• Wakura Onsen Soyu public bathhouse: Back to normal operation after the earthquake. Open 7:00-21:00, with bathing fees of 500 yen for adults (junior high school age and above), 150 yen for elementary school children and 50 yen for preschool children, closed on the fourth Thursday of every month.
• Approximate costs: The main expenses are the bathing fee at the Soyu bathhouse, admission to the aquarium, lunch and the rental car.
• Points to note: Wakura Onsen is still recovering from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of January 2024, and whether an inn has reopened varies from inn to inn. If you plan to stay overnight or to take a day-use bath, be sure to check in advance on the accommodation information and restaurant operating status pages of the Wakura Onsen Tourism Association.

* The Yuttari Park foot bath reopened after renovation in May 2026 and can be used free of charge.

(Sources: the official Notojima Aquarium website, the official Wakura Onsen Tourism Association website and others. As of July 2026)