'''Wakura Onsen''' (_a_q____) [http://www.wakura.or.jp/] is a hot spring resort near Nanao on the Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa, Japan.

Understand

With 1200 years of recorded history, Wakura is one of the oldest bathing towns around, even by high Japanese standards. But don't come here expecting a time warp into the past: while hotels here are built in traditional Japanese style on the inside, most of them are ugly, hulking concrete monsters from the outside.

Get in

By plane

Noto Airport is a 40-min shared taxi ride away (¥1100).

By train

Wakura Onsen is the terminus of the JR Noto Line, which connects from Kanazawa and Tsubata on the JR Hokuriku Main Line. However, only limited expresses (from Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya) go all the way; all ordinary JR services terminate at Nanao, one stop down the line, from where you'll have to wait for a connecting Noto Railway train (¥180, roughly hourly) or take a bus (¥350, every half hour or so). You can also use the Noto Railway to come in from Anamizu to the north.

All that said, the train station is actually located a rather inconvenient 3 km out of town. Many ryokan offer pickup/dropoff services, or you can wait for the buses from Nanao which stop at the station on their way into town.

By bus

Wakura Onsen's diminutive but centrally located bus terminal offers frequent services to Nanao (¥350, 20 min) and occasional services to Kanazawa (¥2300) and Anamizu.

Get around

The core of Wakura Onsen is easily covered on foot, but if you want to explore the vicinity, rental bikes are available from the tourism office for ¥600/day.

See

Sights in Wakura are distinctly limited. There's a rather contrived '''Seven Lucky Gods Lucky Lucky Course''' (_________X______) connecting seven spots around town, each housing a statue of one of the Seven Lucky Gods, that can be covered in two hours even by the most leisurely tourist.

  • '''Kadoi Sabur? Museum''' (_p___O_Y___p__) and '''Tsujiguchi Hironobu Museum''' (_______[___p__), at the seaside behind Yumoto no Hiroba. Located in the same matte black box of a building, the Kadoi side is devoted to lacquerware, while Tsujiguchi is a master confectioner trained in the French tradition, whose delicacies can be sampled in the cafe (no ticket required). Joint entrance ¥700. Open 8 AM to 5 PM daily, cafe from 9 AM to 7 PM.
  • '''Yumoto no Hiroba''' (_______L__). The central point of town, this is the spot where the hot spring bubbles up and is shunted off into all the hotels via a proudly displayed if rather unsexy set of pipes and pumps. It's surrounded by a small park, and there's also a spot to boil your own eggs in spring water (15-20 minutes).
  • '''Showa Era and Toy museum''' [http://toymuseum.jp/]. A museum focusing on toys from yester-year and on daily life in the ''Showa'' era of Japan.
  • Do

    The only thing to do in Wakura Onsen is '''bathing'''. Many hotels and ''ryokan'' allows guests to sample their facilities for ¥500 or so.

  • '''Wakura Onsen S?yu''' (_a_q________). Public baths featuring lots of hot water and a sauna. Entry ¥480. Open 7 AM to 10 PM daily except the 25th of each month (or following day if 25th is a Sunday/holiday).
  • Buy

    There is a small '''supermarket''' next to Hosenkaku and a scattering of souvenir/convenience stores around town.

    Eat

    Wakura Onsen has a decent selection of places to eat.

  • '''Hebi-no-Me Sushi''' (_________i). The "Snake's Eye" is a friendly family-run sushi joint specializing in local Noto delicacies. The top seller is ''akanishigai'' (___j_V_L, ¥500), a mollusk found exclusively in Nanao Bay, but you won't miss much if you skip it. Instead, try their seasonal ''nigiri'' set (_l_G__________ ''shiki-gentei-nigiri'', ¥2000), which gives a good sampling of the best seafood Noto has to offer.
  • Drink

    The small alleyway of '''Y?rakuch?''' (_L_y__) offers a typical selection of mildly dodgy karaoke hostess bars.

    Sleep

    Wakura is famous for its ''ryokan'' (Japanese inns), which in turn are famous for their fresh seafood. All prices below including two meals and unless otherwise noted require at least two people staying per room.

    Mid-range

  • '''Togetsuan''' (_n____), tel. +91-767-621788, [http://www.hosenkaku.jp/togetsuan/]. Built like a Taisho-era ''ryokan'' using traditional techniques and materials. Gorgeous from the inside and outside, but regrettably surrounded on four sides by concrete monstrosities. Good indoor and outdoor bath, plus free use of the facilities at sister ryokan ''H?senkaku''. Bed & breakfast (singles OK) from ¥7300, packages for two with dinner from ¥10000/person up.
  • Splurge

  • '''Kagaya''' (______), [http://www.kagaya.co.jp/kagaya/]. Wakura's most famous lodge, although these days it's more a giant hotel complex disguised as a ryokan. Rates from ¥18900/person and up, up and away.
  • '''Tadaya''' (___c__), [http://www.tadaya.net/]. Very, very old-school Japanese swank. Weekday stays in the proletarian ''Hana-no-Kan'' (______) annex start from a mere ¥15750/person, while booking the ''Rikyu'' (___v) teahouse with private outdoor bath costs a cool ¥57750/person.
  • Get out

  • Noto Island — just across the bridge