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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Noshiro
能代市
Skip Noshiro unless you are a basketball fan or need a quiet stop on the Akita coast: half a day covers the gymnasium and a walk by the sea.
Noshiro is a small port city on the Sea of Japan coast, best known for its basketball culture (the city produced the manga Slam Dunk) and the nearby Shirakami-Sanchi World Heritage forest. Most travellers pass through on the way to Oga or the Shirakami mountains. The city itself has a few sights but no must-see draw.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 能代市
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (heavy snow), Aug (crowded)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
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 ¥6,000–9,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥9,000–15,000 excl. bed · High ¥15,000+ 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 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- 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 | ¥300–500 |
| Ramen or soba | ¥700–1,000 |
| Beer (can at konbini) | ¥250–350 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | ¥2,000–2,500 |
| Bus to Shirakami-Sanchi | ¥1,000–1,500 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ONJ · Odate-Noshiro Airport
- About 45 min by taxi; no public transport. Three flights daily from Tokyo Haneda (ANA).
Typical fares
- Odate-Noshiro Airport → Noshiro (taxi)
- about ¥8,000, 45 min (check)
- Noshiro → Akita (JR Ou Line)
- about ¥1,500, 1 h 20 min (check)
- Noshiro → Oga (JR Ou Line)
- about ¥1,200, 1 h 15 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk or rent a bicycle. Taxis are available at the station. The city is small enough to cover on foot in a few hours.
See and do
Known for
- Basketball culture (Slam Dunk connection)
- Noshiro City General Gymnasium
- Shirakami-Sanchi access
- Coastal scenery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Shirakami-Sanchi | Bus from Noshiro Station to Anmon Falls trailhead, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Oga | JR Ou Line to Oga, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Akita City | JR Ou Line, about 1 h 20 min | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Near Noshiro Station
- Convenient for trains and buses; a few business hotels and a ryokan.
- Shirakami-Sanchi area
- For hikers; minshuku and a lodge near the trailheads.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうarigatō |
| 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
- Heavy snow in winter: roads and trains can be delayed.
- No public transport from Odate-Noshiro Airport to Noshiro: arrange a taxi or rental car in advance.
- The gymnasium may be closed during events: check the schedule.
Noshiro is safe. The main risks are winter road conditions and the lack of public transport from the airport.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Noshiro yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Basketball culture (Slam Dunk connection)
- Noshiro City General Gymnasium
- Shirakami-Sanchi access
- Coastal scenery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Noshiro City official website: www.city.noshiro.lg.jp/
- Welcome Noshiro (tourist association): welcomenoshiro.com/
- Wikivoyage: Noshiro, revision 5240695 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240695
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Noshiro能代市
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
The US consulate is in Sapporo; most other countries have embassies in Tokyo.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/noshiro). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.