In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Nanao
七尾
Go for one night as a Noto Peninsula base, or skip if you only want Wakura Onsen: the sights are thin and spread out, and a car is near-essential.
Nanao is the largest city on the Noto Peninsula and the transport hub for Wakura Onsen and Notojima. Its own sights are few and scattered, so most travellers use it as a one-night base with a car. The 2024 Noto earthquake damaged parts of the peninsula: check current access before booking.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 七尾
- Best months
- Apr–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, humid, rainy season)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥7,000–11,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥11,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥400–700 |
| Sushi lunch set | ¥1,500–3,000 |
| Izakaya dinner with drinks | ¥3,000–5,000 |
| Public onsen entry | ¥450 |
| Museum entry (glass, art, aquarium) | ¥600–1,850 |
| Local train Kanazawa → Nanao | ¥1,280 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NTQ · Noto Airport
- Small airport; ANA flights from Tokyo-Haneda about twice daily. About 1 h by road to Nanao.
- KMQ · Komatsu Airport
- Larger airport with more routes; bus to Kanazawa station about 40 min, then about 1.5 h by train to Nanao
Typical fares
- Kanazawa → Nanao, local train
- about ¥1,280, about 1.5 h
- Noto Airport → Nanao/Wakura, taxi
- about ¥1,300, about 1 h, book ahead
- Nanao → Wakura Onsen, local train
- about ¥200–300, about 10 min
Get around
A car is the most efficient way to reach Nanao's scattered sights; the Noto toll road and Route 159 serve the city. Trains run roughly hourly north and south from Nanao station, but take a local (futsū) train or you may skip your stop and pay more. Buses reach Notojima and outlying areas but are slow and relatively expensive.
See and do
Known for
- Noto Peninsula base
- Wakura Onsen access
- Notojima Glass Art Museum
- Seihakusai Dekayama festival
- Fresh Noto seafood
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wakura Onsen | JR Noto Line local from Nanao station, about 10 min | About 30 min |
| Notojima | Bus from Nanao or Wakura Onsen station to Notojima Rinkai Koen | About 30–45 min |
| Wajima | Noto Railway to Anamizu, then bus or car north | About 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Nanao Station area
- Best for one night with bags: JR Noto Line and Noto Railway, buses, and walkable izakayas.
- Wakura Onsen
- Onsen town within Nanao city limits, about 10 min by train from Nanao station; the reason many people come.
- Fisherman's Wharf / harbour
- Seafood market, restaurants and bay views; about a 10-min walk north of the station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- The January 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake damaged the region: check road, rail and hotel status before you book.
- Many sights are spread out and poorly served by public transport: without a car you will see much less.
- On the JR Noto Line, board a local train only; limited expresses skip smaller stops and cost more.
- Ishikawa is cloudy and rainy year-round: carry a rain layer even in spring and autumn.
Nanao is a quiet, low-crime city. The real risks are winter snow and ice, sudden rain, and post-2024 earthquake disruption to roads and rail: check status before travelling.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nanao yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Noto Peninsula base
- Wakura Onsen access
- Notojima Glass Art Museum
- Seihakusai Dekayama festival
- Fresh Noto seafood
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Nanao City official site: www.city.nanao.lg.jp/
- Nanao and Nakanoto tourist guide: kankou.nn-dmo.or.jp/en/
- Wikivoyage: Nanao (Japan), revision 5016928 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5016928
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/nanao-japan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.