14 Nomi and Noto Peninsula

On a sunny Wednesday afternoon Kumi and Naoki dropped us off by the road leading to Nomi, to a family I was staying with 4 years ago with JapanTent, a holiday program for foreign students in Japan. A warmhearted and always smiling lady, Kaori and his more reserved but friendly husband Tetsu welcomed me again and Hunor for the first time in their home. I was looking forward meeting with the grandfather too, who makes the best umeshu (sweet liqueur made of Asian plums) I have ever tried. But they told me he had been hospitalized with cancer. These news made me appreciate Kaori's smile and positive spirit even more. We talked and drank throughout the whole evening and suddenly changed our plans too (the good thing about hitchhiking is flexibility): we were planning to head on to Nagano the next day, but there is a remote and beautiful peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture, Noto, which is also said to be a spiritual place and it has always been on my mind. Also, the weather started to clear up and we have been missing the outdoors very much. We had a tent (although not waterproof) so we decided we would spend the next few days camping on Noto. 

night in Nomi

Hunor's first kanji! I have to admit it looks better
than the signs I made...

After a few rides and a fantastic morning nap between them in a wash&dry, we were in Noto peninsula, staring at the sea in dripping rain again. The further up north we penetrated in the peninsula the more it started to look like an enchanted land with dramatic rock formations, old wooden farmhouses and small fishing ports. One of the most famous rock formations is Ganmon on the Kongo Coast. Ganmon means rock-gate and it is indeed the entrance of a spacious cave on the shore. According to legend, Minamoto Yoshitsune was hiding in this cave when he was running away from his brother, Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. 

hitchhiking with a lovely family in Noto

a real treat on Noto...

Unfortunately the more north we got, the less likely it was to get a ride. The good news were that the weather cleared up and we found a nice and cozy spot for camping. It was right in front of a rock formation that is called Hatagoiwa, and according to local legend, was formed when a Goddess threw her loom into the ocean. It is a formation of two rocks interconnected by a thick rope - this is a symbol of matrimony. It was an enchanting and mysterious place to be, very calming and energizing.

We set up our tent, watched the spectacular colors of the sunset after rain, ate our dinner of leftovers and were surprised that the formation in front of our eyes was illuminated by a strong light from the shore. We enjoyed the specular view and the starry sky from our private balcony for a few more hours before going to sleep. 

Hatagoiwa

sunrise from "our balcony"

The next morning we were excited to go to the morning market in Wajima city, the northern part of the peninsula, but we had to face the reality of backcountry. Nobody would pick us up for hours. Eventually we walked for about an hour to the next village, bought some fruits and bread for breakfast and went to the beach to take a break from our own negative thoughts. After all, nobody was responsible for us, so we did not have the right to be offended by not getting a ride. Usually my rule was to take a break of trying to hitch a ride whenever I start to turn demanding, skeptical or bitter about it. Besides being irrelevant, none of those states of mind are good for your health. 

We ended up having our breakfast on the longest bench in the world (what a treat). And then, although apparently as September started one day ago, it was already autumn and nobody was in the water, I still decided to take a swim. The last time I was in the ocean was in Yakushima, and I was craving for salty water. I have seen five or six stingrays in the water, got refreshed and a bit homesick for Okinawa. 

Hunor brushing his teeth by the longest bench of the world

In the afternoon we eventually got our ride to Wajima. A guy picked us up, maybe same age as Hunor and he told us he had seen hitchhikers once a few years before (I see. This is how often people try to hitch a ride here!), but he was in a hurry and couldn't pick them up. He felt bad since then, so he wanted to make up for it. Good for us! He gave us a small tour of the spectacular rocks on the shore and took us all the way to Wajima. We were planning to come here for the morning market which was obviously long over by the time we arrived, still it was a lovely small city with more structure and interesting buildings to it then we have ever seen in the mostly concrete cities and towns we have visited in Japan. To my utmost surprise, we found a 1:1 replica of my favorite statue, the Nike of Samothrace right in front of the door of the town hall. I really wanted to ask the mayor why this statue and why in the doorway. Maybe it was there to intimidate people who were trying to go to the town hall to complain. 

city hall entrance in Wajima
with Nike greeting the visitors

house in Wajima

After a ride with a friendly young lady, we were at the rice terraces in perfect time. First, because it was autumn harvest, so the fields were alive: full of working farmers. And second, because it was late afternoon and the beams of the setting sun caressed the rice stems with a loving yellow light. After they cut the rice crops they stack them and hang the stacks on a high wooden structure to dry. I went up to ask a group if that was ok and the birds won't steal the rice. Their answer was a short no and an invitation to try their work, so I was helping them hang the stocks for the next 15 minutes. Mostly old people were working, the lady who took a break while I was taking her turn must have been in her eighties. They looked disillusioned, tired and worn out. They said in these rice fields they do everything manually and of course they can produce less and be no competition for mass production. Lot of work and no profit - they said. For us tourists however it was a dreamlike experience. The terraces moving with the rhythm of work and the constant music of waves behind them, like a slow, endless dance. 

rice terraces

We spent one more night in Noto, but we never made it to the tip of the peninsula. It has been one of the hardest places to hitch a ride, so I don't recommend it to anyone without a car, except with plenty of time and readiness to walk a lot.

wooohoho, Japanese can be a little too tense when it comes to time...

It is an amazing place, a journey back in time and a humbling meeting with peaceful old spirits haunting the rock formations, the caves and the old roads along the coast.