Noto Peninsula Reopening: What Groups Can Plan Now

Explera DMC Japan puts the Noto Peninsula back into programmes only in part: a Kanazawa base, day visits to the southern peninsula, and a hot-spring night at Wakura Onsen where a reopened inn can confirm the date. Several large inns and Wajima's market are still not back in their old form, so every venue is confirmed in writing first.

The Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture was struck by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on 1 January 2024, and parts of it were hit again by heavy rain in September 2024. Recovery has been real but uneven. For agents asking whether Noto can go back into a programme, the honest answer is: in part, with conditions, and not everything is back.

What has reopened, and what has not?

The picture differs from town to town. At Wakura Onsen, the peninsula's best-known hot-spring resort, some inns are open again: TAOYA Wakura, for example, reopened on 12 April 2025 after repairs. Other large inns are still closed, and the reopening dates published for the biggest flagship properties do not agree with one another, ranging from late 2026 to 2027. In Wajima, the famous morning market lost its street to the fire that followed the earthquake. Its traders have kept going with a temporary stall inside a supermarket in Wajima and a travelling "caravan" market in Kanazawa. Because the picture keeps moving, we treat any single published figure with caution and confirm each venue directly before quoting.

What can groups plan now?

• Base in Kanazawa. Most groups stay in Kanazawa and visit the southern peninsula by day, which avoids the shortage of rooms further north. See our Kanazawa tour guide.
• Wakura Onsen. Where a reopened inn can take the group, a hot-spring night is possible; we confirm availability for each date, since not every inn is back.
• Wajima. The morning market works in a temporary form, and roads, parking and toilets are still limited in places. We keep stops short and flexible.
• Craft and food. Wajima lacquerware and local seafood remain the main cultural draws; workshop visits depend on which studios are open.

How do we quote it?

• We confirm every venue, inn and road in writing at quotation and again two weeks before travel.
• We offer a Kanazawa-based alternative for every Noto day, so a closure does not cancel the day.
• We plan driving time generously, because some roads still have repairs and lane restrictions.
• We brief clients on the context: visiting supports local recovery, and the experience is quieter and different from before.

How does it fit a programme?

For repeat visitors and culture-focused groups, a short Noto leg can be a meaningful add-on to a Kanazawa and Hokuriku route. For first-time visitors with a tight schedule, we usually advise keeping to Kanazawa and the main Hokuriku route until more of the peninsula has reopened. See our disaster preparedness guide, our Kyushu earthquake recovery guide and our Kurobe-Unazuki canyon guide.

Sources: JNTO safe travel information, TAOYA Wakura reopening announcement (Japanese) and the Government of Japan's Highlighting Japan feature on Noto, November 2025.