Noto Peninsula Japan--Driving route suggestions?
Feb 5th, 2007, 03:16 PM
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Noto Peninsula Japan--Driving route suggestions?
My husband and I are planning to visit the Noto Peninsula for two days in June and need advice on a good route and sites. A Fodors member (mrwunrf) suggested it as a good place to tour with a rental car, and after doing some research, I'm really excited to visit this area. Some background: I use a wheelchair so I'd like to see some nice scenery and interesting sites, but not tons that involve getting out of the car. Although Kanazawa looks wonderful, because of its size, I think we’ll skip it this trip. Here are my specific questions:
--We'll be driving from Takayama and we don’t mind long rides. Where would be a good first-night city/hotel on the peninsula?
-- What driving route do you suggest? How long does it take to drive the entire loop of the peninsula's coastline, or do you recommend focusing on the western side, and if so, up to how far? Or do you suggest driving inland a little?
--What sites, villages, etc., are particularly interesting and, if you know, somewhat doable in a wheelchair?
--We'll be driving from Takayama and we don’t mind long rides. Where would be a good first-night city/hotel on the peninsula?
-- What driving route do you suggest? How long does it take to drive the entire loop of the peninsula's coastline, or do you recommend focusing on the western side, and if so, up to how far? Or do you suggest driving inland a little?
--What sites, villages, etc., are particularly interesting and, if you know, somewhat doable in a wheelchair?
Feb 5th, 2007, 07:50 PM
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The drive from Kanazawa to Wajima is just over 2 hours with no traffic using highway. From there to Suzu is another 2 hours, and from there to Kanazawa is about 4 hours...this is approximate, as we did this many years ago...I do remember it was much, much longer than we had anticipated.
Hotel...I'm going to have to do some research about that. There are plenty of small hotels and inns, but accessability can be problematic. New hotels and big chains, no problem, but Noto...not cosmopolitan at all.
Beaches tend to be strewn with all sorts of garbage, especially until the swimming beach clean up day at the end or June/beginning of July. Non-swimming beaches are often used as garbage dumps. So, driing along the coast using the highway is good for the view which shows the rocky coast...and inland is very nice, very green with lots of small villages. Probably not what you expected or wanted to hear about the beaches...sorry.
Wajima has a morning market that is interesting, and it is on a street, so accessible.
Noto Jima has an aquarium and a glass blowing place, and is famous for the bridge that connects it to the mainland.
Wakura Onsen is a famous onsen town.
Signs in English on the highways and very main roads, but not on side roads or small towns. So, if possible, rent a car with a navigation system...this device has changed our lives. Printed maps, especially those in English, are not very good. Japanese map books are good, but they are in Japanese and not easy to use without being able to read Japanese. English maps often have omitted many roads and are quite old so new roads are not included either. Navigation system. Even in Japanese...get them to show you how to program it by inputting the phone number of where you want to go...easy, and dead simple to follow once it's going.
Kanazawa may be more user friendly for you, with a day trip to Wajima. Noto sees few foreigners. It may be a challenge in terms of finding restaurants and hotels that are accessible...I'll look for hotels later for you but now I'm out of time...
Hotel...I'm going to have to do some research about that. There are plenty of small hotels and inns, but accessability can be problematic. New hotels and big chains, no problem, but Noto...not cosmopolitan at all.
Beaches tend to be strewn with all sorts of garbage, especially until the swimming beach clean up day at the end or June/beginning of July. Non-swimming beaches are often used as garbage dumps. So, driing along the coast using the highway is good for the view which shows the rocky coast...and inland is very nice, very green with lots of small villages. Probably not what you expected or wanted to hear about the beaches...sorry.
Wajima has a morning market that is interesting, and it is on a street, so accessible.
Noto Jima has an aquarium and a glass blowing place, and is famous for the bridge that connects it to the mainland.
Wakura Onsen is a famous onsen town.
Signs in English on the highways and very main roads, but not on side roads or small towns. So, if possible, rent a car with a navigation system...this device has changed our lives. Printed maps, especially those in English, are not very good. Japanese map books are good, but they are in Japanese and not easy to use without being able to read Japanese. English maps often have omitted many roads and are quite old so new roads are not included either. Navigation system. Even in Japanese...get them to show you how to program it by inputting the phone number of where you want to go...easy, and dead simple to follow once it's going.
Kanazawa may be more user friendly for you, with a day trip to Wajima. Noto sees few foreigners. It may be a challenge in terms of finding restaurants and hotels that are accessible...I'll look for hotels later for you but now I'm out of time...
Feb 5th, 2007, 08:19 PM
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I don't know if you've seen this site already, but thought I'd pass it on. http://www.wakakoma.org/aj/
Feb 5th, 2007, 08:41 PM
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OK...I've searched, but haven't found specifically accessible hotels. I think you should contact JTB about this, as they will be able to spend the time making phone calls and cofirming accessibility for you.
Feb 5th, 2007, 09:59 PM
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Feb 5th, 2007, 11:42 PM
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Hi
here is a link for maps for Japan
http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/int/japan2.htm#p7
I don't know if this is helpful to you. Also if you go to http://www.japan-guide.com & put "driving" in the search there are quite a few replies to questions on driving in Japan there which may be of interest.
here is a link for maps for Japan
http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/int/japan2.htm#p7
I don't know if this is helpful to you. Also if you go to http://www.japan-guide.com & put "driving" in the search there are quite a few replies to questions on driving in Japan there which may be of interest.
Feb 7th, 2007, 05:13 PM
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Thanks everyone for the very helpful information. KimJapan--Can you suggest an area to stay in Kanazawa that is interesting and not a nightmare to drive in/out of if we do daytrips to Noto instead?
Feb 7th, 2007, 05:57 PM
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Kanazawa is not a nightmare to drive in. Hotels all have parking, though some charge extra for it.
I like the location of the Tokyu Excel Kanazawa, right downtown across from a big department store (well, big for Kanazawa), in the same building as a small shopping center, Starbucks on the first floor. Parking in the basement of the same building, may be free for guests. Accessible rooms...probably...I don't see mention of it in Japanese, but an e-mail to them should get you an answer. The building itself is accessible, so...
The area is accessible in that there are elevators and wheelchair slopes. Some staircases have wheelchair lifts, but they must be operated by an attendant, and I've personally never seen them in use...there is the potential, though, should you need them. All places accessible by these staircase lifts are also accessible from inside the building by elevator.
Next to the station is an ANA hotel, and across the street is a Nikko. Of all the hotels in the station area, these are the nicest, but personally, I don't find them to be good value...high prices for what you get. The station location is only good for using the station, not very good for sightseeing. Parking there is not free.
A day trip to Notojima is very doable, as is a drive up to Wajima for the morning market.
I like the location of the Tokyu Excel Kanazawa, right downtown across from a big department store (well, big for Kanazawa), in the same building as a small shopping center, Starbucks on the first floor. Parking in the basement of the same building, may be free for guests. Accessible rooms...probably...I don't see mention of it in Japanese, but an e-mail to them should get you an answer. The building itself is accessible, so...
The area is accessible in that there are elevators and wheelchair slopes. Some staircases have wheelchair lifts, but they must be operated by an attendant, and I've personally never seen them in use...there is the potential, though, should you need them. All places accessible by these staircase lifts are also accessible from inside the building by elevator.
Next to the station is an ANA hotel, and across the street is a Nikko. Of all the hotels in the station area, these are the nicest, but personally, I don't find them to be good value...high prices for what you get. The station location is only good for using the station, not very good for sightseeing. Parking there is not free.
A day trip to Notojima is very doable, as is a drive up to Wajima for the morning market.
Feb 7th, 2007, 07:46 PM
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But driving is no problem. The only places with any traffic issues are right in the downtown area, and it's not that there are so many cars, it's that there are a few cars and lots of taxis which consider the left (curbside) lane a parking area, essentially jamming the entire road up as everyone must go around them. For sightseeing in and around Kanazawa, though, take taxis, as parking will be farther from your sightseeing spot than is convenient with a wheelchair.
Also, in the Kanazawa area, you can drive out to Daijoji, a temple just beside the hills, great view, nice atmosphere. Near there, is a lovely drive through a small town which is famous for bamboo shoot cuisine (but June is too late for it) and is cute. Also near Kanazawa are several onsen towns, Kaga is the most famous, but Yamanaka onsen, Katayamazu, Yuwaku...all within an hour by car.
A car navigation system will make your trip easier. The printed maps in English are horrible. We tried, years ago, using the orange Bilingual Road map of Japan book....lost and arguing every single time. Navigation system is a marriage saver.
Also, in the Kanazawa area, you can drive out to Daijoji, a temple just beside the hills, great view, nice atmosphere. Near there, is a lovely drive through a small town which is famous for bamboo shoot cuisine (but June is too late for it) and is cute. Also near Kanazawa are several onsen towns, Kaga is the most famous, but Yamanaka onsen, Katayamazu, Yuwaku...all within an hour by car.
A car navigation system will make your trip easier. The printed maps in English are horrible. We tried, years ago, using the orange Bilingual Road map of Japan book....lost and arguing every single time. Navigation system is a marriage saver.
Feb 7th, 2007, 09:22 PM
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Funny, I thought that afterwards....but at the time, I thought that you meant that Kanazawa was a big city. I should have known better since you've been here...not thinking well today at all...not enough coffee or something. 
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