There are two sides to the Noto Peninsula, which juts into the Sea of Japan to the north of Kanasawa. One side, on the east coast, is urbanised and densely populated; the other, on the west coast, is more traditional and wild, with attractions such as Wajima, a small fishing port to the north, which is renowned for its lacquerware. It is best to come here in August, during the Taisai Festival, with its huge processions of paper lanterns. If you take the lovely coastal road, you can also stop off at Sosogi and Noto-Ogi, which is nestled in a splendid bay.