Off the Beaten Track on the Noto Peninsula

At Yuttari Park in the town of Wakura Onsen on the Noto Peninsula, the first cherry blossoms are in bloom. "These trees are always early," explains Yoshio Sato. The 86-year-old farmer then points at several large buildings along the seaside promenade. "They all used to be hotels. Now they are all closed."

Wakura Onsen, a famous hot spring town with a history of over 1,200 years, lies along Nanao Bay at the base of the peninsula. It used to be a popular seaside resort, welcoming more than a million guests per year. Now there is hardly anyone.

When the magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day in 2024, it killed over 100 people under collapsed homes, while more than 600 victims later died of indirect causes. Over 165,000 houses in the region were damaged or destroyed, forcing around 40,000 residents to evacuate.

Wakura Onsen was also hit hard by the quake. All 21 of its inns were forced to close, and although it's more than two years on, most remain shuttered.

On Google Maps, the Suzuka Hot Spring Hotel is marked as temporarily closed. Inside the damaged building, the elevator is out of service, wallpaper is peeling off the walls, carpets are stained with water marks, and lights hang broken from the ceiling. Despite its condition, the Suzuka is full of guests — most of them involved in reconstruction work. "There are no other options," says a manager from Niigata as he checks into his room on the fourth floor, where the glass in the window frames has been provisionally secured with tape.

Visible Progress

The Soyu Public Bathhouse in the center of town has reopened, but with few rooms available to accommodate visitors, most guests are locals or on day-trips from Kanazawa, 75 kilometers away.

*The public bath house in Wakura Onsen has reopened. (©Agnes Tandler)*

Despite the lack of tourists, there has been visible progress. Roads and train tracks have been repaired, and construction on the Twin Bridge to Notojima island is operating with alternating one-way traffic while the second lane is being restored.

Kagaya Ryokan, a traditional hot spring inn that operated for over 100 years, hopes to reopen in winter in a newly constructed building designed by Japan's star architect Kengo Kuma.

Wakura Onsen is still lucky. Recovery efforts here are progressing more quickly than in the northern region of the peninsula. Areas including the towns of Wajima, Suzu, Anamizu, and Noto suffered the most severe damage from the earthquake. They are also the least populated parts of the peninsula, with many elderly residents. In Wajima and Suzu, roughly half of the population is aged 65 or older — a far higher share than the national average.

*Hotels are still being rebuilt. (©Agnes Tandler)*

Adding to the problem, many older residents live in houses they built when starting families in their late 20s. About half of the homes in Wajima and Suzu were constructed before building codes were revised in 1981 to require more earthquake-resistant structures. Many homeowners were unwilling or financially unable to upgrade their properties to modern standards.

By contrast, houses built under the latest building code introduced in 2000 suffered far less damage. This makes the Noto earthquake, following the Kumamoto quake in 2016, another example showing that the new regulations are effective.

Still in Temporary Housing

Still, this offers little consolation to the more than 17,000 Noto residents who are still living in temporary housing or private rentals provided by local governments.

Ishikawa Prefecture estimates that the population in the hard-hit northern region has declined by more than 13% since the earthquake. A significant number of homeowners have chosen to use allocated government funds to demolish their properties rather than rebuild them. Amid an ongoing labor shortage, local councils and businesses are increasingly concerned about a growing talent drain.

*Construction work on Notojima. (©Agnes Tandler)*

Some residents, however, remain determined to stay. One of them is Toshimitsu Taka, who runs a farm on Notojima with his wife, Hiroko. For over 20 years, the couple has cultivated organic vegetables, mainly for high-end restaurants across Japan. Michelin-starred chefs value the taste and quality of their produce, grown in Notojima's fertile red soil.

But the earthquake disrupted water supply and irrigation systems in the area, and rebuilding has taken time. In addition, labor shortages across the peninsula have also affected farming.

Ayane Muroya, who runs an art studio near Noto town, hopes to restart her calligraphy classes this summer. It will be the first time in two and a half years that the 46-year-old can welcome students again after the earthquake forced her to close her business.

Place for Special Experiences

Noto, with its rustic charm and landscapes reminiscent of sumi ink paintings, lends itself to visitors searching for special experiences. While other destinations in Japan struggle with overtourism, Noto remains off the beaten track.

A lone bicyclist from Germany rides along the newly marked cycling path around the peninsula. On the back of her bicycle, she has a pack decorated with a Japanese flag and a picture of her family. She is looking forward to a break from pedaling at a nearby café, she explains.

As she waves and slowly disappears along the coastal road, the disaster seems far away.