• Bentenzakigensen Park - Bentenzaki Hot Spring Park is a notable location where visitors can explore the origins of Wakura Onsen. This hot spring, believed to have been discovered approximately 1,000 years ago, is a unique seaside onsen emerging from beneath the sea. Visitors can learn about how Wakura evolved from a natural hot spring site into one of Noto’s most renowned onsen towns during the Edo period. The park also provides stunning views of Nanao Bay, highlighting the deep connection between the sea, local communities, and life on the Noto Peninsula.
• Wakura Onsen Omatsuri Hall - The Wakura Onsen Festival Hall showcases the vibrant festival culture of the Noto Peninsula with large festival floats, traditional decorations, music, and engaging displays. Visitors can discover the unique aspects of festivals celebrated in various parts of Noto and understand how these festivities developed through fishing communities, local beliefs, and regional trade networks. The museum also examines how festivals continue to uphold local identity and community bonds, even as rural areas face modern challenges like depopulation and natural disasters.
• Wakura Onsen Soyu - Wakura Onsen Soyu is a public bathhouse frequented by both visitors and local residents, playing a significant role in daily life in the onsen town. Besides its bathing facilities, the building serves as a community and tourism hub where people gather and interact. Before local festivals, residents often use the multipurpose rooms to practice festival music and prepare for upcoming events, illustrating how festival culture remains deeply intertwined with everyday life in Wakura Onsen today.

• Guided walking tour of Wakura Onsen
• English-speaking local guide
• Explanations about Noto festival culture, local communities, and onsen history
• Admission to the Wakura Onsen Festival Hall

• Food and drinks
• Bathing at Wakura Onsen Soyu is not included in this tour

This unique experience, unlike typical onsen or museum tours, delves into the connections between festivals, hot springs, and local communities in the Noto Peninsula. Accompanied by a local guide, participants will explore Wakura Onsen and learn about the region’s development through maritime trade, fishing culture, and community traditions influenced by the Sea of Japan.

At the Wakura Onsen Festival Hall, visitors will uncover the deeper significance of Noto’s renowned festivals, beyond their vibrant floats and performances. These festivals have evolved as religious and community traditions linked to maritime safety, bountiful harvests, and the bonds between local communities. The tour also addresses contemporary challenges such as depopulation and earthquake recovery, highlighting local initiatives to preserve festival culture through community involvement and volunteer efforts.

By integrating local history, daily life, and living festival traditions, this tour provides a richer insight into Noto culture, surpassing typical sightseeing experiences.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.