The road to recovery, Ishikawa review
On January 1st 2024, a violent magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture. Over 500 lost their lives, and not even 6 months later, severe rainfall in the area led to deadly landslides and flooding. Ishikawa suffered a loss in tourism and money, and, like Kumamoto, needed to rebuild after the events. It was also the year I applied to JET and became an ALT; I recall Ishikawa in particular struggling to hire ALTS because people were scared to work in the area. I knew someone who worked near the affected area, and they recalled how several people had been offered the Noto peninsular area and declined the position. Ishikawa was grieving and needed hope.
First, let’s dive into exploring Ishikawa, what it is famous for, and what is there to see and do, then let’s explore the new efforts to attract visitors and my own experience when I visited the prefecture before Golden Week this year. Ishikawa is in Honshu, and it borders the Sea of Japan. It shares borders with Fukui, Gifu and Toyama. The capital city is Kanazawa, and it has Shinkansen connections to Tokyo. The Noto Peninsula forms Toyama Bay, which is Japan’s largest bay. Historically, it was part of the Hokuriku region, which was home to some of the wealthiest domains in all of Japan. Visitors can see Kanazawa Castle, which played a vital role during the feudal era.
Ishikawa was formed in 1872 in a merger between Kaga and Noto. The area was regarded with caution after the Kioizaka incident were a small group of officials upset with the new Meiji administration staged a coup and assassinated a statesman. In retaliation and an attempt to prevent it from happening again, the area was split into two, forming Fukui and Toyama.
Ishikawa is mountainous, with its capital being built on coastal plains; 15 per cent of its land is designated as national parks. Its main economic focus is agriculture and machinery. Ishikawa is the birthplace of Noh theatre; this style of theatre includes the use of very intricate dolls and puppets. It is also said to be the birthplace of the tea ceremony, which spread quickly throughout Japan and quickly became a tradition Japan is well known for.
So, what is the prefecture doing to bring back the tourists and visitors? Opening this year, the airport is becoming the first in Japan to become a Pokémon airport. There have been several new Poke lids placed in the prefecture, notably the Noto area, in hopes that visitors will come and collect them in-game. There is also a Pokémon centre near the station, which gets a lot of foot traffic. There have been new projects in Ishikawa in hopes of revitalising the area. When I visited, there was a music festival underway. The whole city was bustling. I was overwhelmed by how many tourists I saw. Out of the 3 new prefectures I visited, Ishikawa was by far the busiest. The Pokémon centre had a line. Many people were exploring the old historical streets of Kanazawa.
The city is walkable and very scenic. The old historical street provides a glimpse of Japan’s past, and there are several tea houses in the area to enjoy tea ceremonies. There is also a theatre where you can watch traditional plays in the Noh style. If you travel south in Kanazawa, you will see old red brick buildings that used to house factories; these have now been turned into museums and art galleries. There are beautiful tori gate shrines near this area, which make for beautiful places to think and enjoy some quiet from the noise of the city. The castle is beautiful, but it is up a hill, so prepare yourself for a small climb. The city has beautiful canals, and there are a few curious felines who you may spot along your walks.
Kanazawa station is bustling with shops, restaurants and an artistic tori gate design welcoming guests. There was so much choice of food that I was overwhelmed. There is a lot to do around the station. If you want to catch a movie, there is even a cinema. To the south of Kanazawa, take a day trip and enjoy the coast, ninja village and crafting village. To the north, explore the Noto peninsula; some areas are still under repair from the earthquake just two years ago. I was apprehensive about visiting Ishikawa, but I was glad I did. I really enjoyed my time, and sadly, I visited before the Pokémon airport opened, as that is something I would have enjoyed seeing.
I recommend checking out Ishikawa, which is accessible from Tokyo via the shinkansen and will allow you to see the mountains and more rural scenery of Japan. There is a lot to offer, and the people I met in the area were nice. Visiting this area will help it financially and raise awareness of how prefectures recover after disasters. There is a lot to do and see in the area, and a lot of good choices for places to eat! Why not add it to your itinerary and experience a different side of Japan outside of the big cities?
