Wajima Morning Market

Wajima Morning Market ranks among Japan's three great morning markets, with roots reaching back over a thousand years to the Heian period. Each morning from around eight until noon, some 200 vendors—predominantly local women—line Asaichi-dori street with their wares: glistening seafood pulled from the Sea of Japan, sun-dried fish, homemade pickles fragrant with rice bran, seasonal vegetables, and handcrafted goods. The market is an excellent place to discover Wajima-nuri lacquerware, one of Japan's most refined lacquer traditions. The atmosphere is warmly personal; vendors welcome conversation and offer generous samples of their specialties. A visit pairs naturally with the nearby Wajima Lacquerware Museum and the breathtaking Shiroyone Senmaida, where over a thousand tiny rice paddies cascade down the hillside to meet the Noto coast.