TokyoTomo Travel Guide

Nanao in Ishikawa Prefecture is gradually coming under spotlight being the birthplace of Tohaku Hasegawa, a painter in praised along with Eitoku Kano as a prodigy in Momoyama period. Here and there in the town, footprints and remnants of the painter can be seen, being the origin of the artist who created an array of masterpiece including “Shorin-zubyobu”, one of the best ink painting ever. It just so happens that this year is the 400th anniversary of Tohaku’s death, and retrospective exhibition will be held in Tokyo and Kyoto. Let’s take a walk in the city of Nanao filled with flavor of history.

Nanao is a town located in the middle of Noto peninsula in a bent shape that once flourished its original culture as a castle town and as a base of Kitamae Ship (North Trading Ship). The town faces the rough Japan Sea, but Nanao Bay is a landlocked bay with mild waves and tranquility even during wintertime.

The town is near by Noto Airport and the highway “Noto Expressway Wakura I.C.” but the main entrance is Nanao Station, extended from JR Hokuriku-Honsen. The moment you step out of the station, you will be greeted by Tohaku Hasegawa’s “Seiunzo.” Direct train “Thunderbird” is in operation from Osaka to Nanao; many tourists visit the town during winter to taste crabs, the dish of the season.

“Oyster” and “Sea Cucumber,” the Delicacies of Winter
Crab is a typical winter food you can have in the Japan Sea, but the three major seafood around January to spring is Kanburi (yellow tail), oyster and sea cucumber. Of all, “Notogaki” (Noto Oyster) is now in its very season with a richer taste. One other thing we must not forget. Sea cucumber is also Nanao’s specialty. “Hikuchiko,” a well-dried ovary of sea cucumber is a high-end delicacy that cannot be tasted other than Nanao, even if you are within Noto peninsula.

“Nanao onsen” is by the Notojima Bridge connecting Nanao and Noto Island of Nanao Bay. Being one of the famous hotspring in Hokuriku area, almost without exception, visitors to Noto Peninsula visit this onsen to enjoy the beautiful scenery and great spring quality. Around the center the town, “Soyu,” a cheap drop-by onsen stands in the middle of a row of high-end onsen resort. In front of the main entrance, you can boil eggs in the salty hot spring while you enjoy a warm foot bath.

“Ippon Sugi Street” still has the glamorous feeling of the past amidst the cubby street. Starting from Muromachi period, this street used to be a busy street as the temple town through Edo to Meiji period. Here and there around the town, you can see classic merchant houses with black lattice door and store curtain, showing the importance of this town as the trading base.

Shops selling soy sauce, seaweed, sake, Japanese candles and family altar stand around the center of the city. Of those shops, “Takazawa Shoten,” a Japanese candle manufacturer, is a must-visit tourist spot. It is a well-established shop founded 110 years ago. Having business in Nanao, a temple city, the shop still sells candles made of Japanese papers and straw.

Even if you are not a railroad fan, you might want to try the local route “Noto Railways,” a one-track railway, running slowly in a single compartment train for 30 km between JR Nanao Station to Anamizu. The fare is 810 yen from Nanao to Anamizu. The tranquil Nanao Bay is richly cultivated with oysters, and it is worthwhile tasting the famous fresh oyster stopping off at “Noto-nakajima.” The rich taste of fresh charcoal-baked oysters is simply superb.

(To be continued…)

Source: Travel Vision

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