Photo: HIrorinmasa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Wajima Morning Market

Market

Prefecture

Ishikawa

Type

Market

N/A

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Plan a trip with Wajima Morning Market

About This Destination

One of Japan's three great morning markets with over 1,000 years of history, where local vendors sell fresh seafood, produce, and Noto Peninsula specialties; since the 2024 earthquake it has run in Y Plaza Wajima.

Wajima Morning Market ranks among Japan's three great morning markets, with roots reaching back over a thousand years to the Heian period. The fire that followed the January 2024 earthquake destroyed its street, Asaichi-dori, and the market now runs in Y Plaza Wajima, from 9:00 to 13:00 except Wednesdays. Before the fire, some 200 vendors, predominantly local women, lined Asaichi-dori each morning 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 Shiroyone Senmaida, where over a thousand tiny rice paddies cascade down the hillside to meet the Noto coast.

Location

Prefecture: Ishikawa

Address: Wajima, Ishikawa, Japan

Nearest Station: Wajima Station (bus terminal)

Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Thu–Sun 09:00–13:00

Closed: Wednesdays, plus some irregular days.

Hours note: Since the January 2024 earthquake and fire destroyed Asaichi-dori, the market has run in Y Plaza Wajima (41 Takuda-machi), 9:00 to 13:00.

Hours and fees checked against the official site on 21 October 2026.

Best time to visit: Year-round, 9:00 to 13:00 except Wednesdays; come early for the best selection

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Food Options: Market stalls sell fresh seafood, grilled squid, dried fish, and local Noto specialties; nearby restaurants serve kaisendon (seafood rice bowls)

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does Wajima Morning Market open?

Since the January 2024 earthquake and fire destroyed Asaichi-dori, the market has run in Y Plaza Wajima (41 Takuda-machi), from 9:00 to 13:00. It is closed on Wednesdays and on some irregular days. Arrive early for the best selection, and check asaichi.info for the current schedule before you go.

How do I get to Wajima Morning Market?

From Kanazawa, take a Hokutetsu Bus highway bus to Wajima (about 2 hours, around 2,300 yen). The market is a 5-minute walk from the Wajima bus terminal. Alternatively, rent a car in Kanazawa for flexibility. The drive along the Noto Peninsula coast is scenic but takes 2+ hours. There is no direct train service to Wajima. Note that 2024 earthquake damage has affected some routes; check current conditions before traveling.

What should I buy at Wajima Morning Market?

Fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan, dried fish (especially aji-no-hiraki, opened and semi-dried horse mackerel), homemade pickles, and Wajima-nuri lacquerware, one of Japan's finest lacquer traditions, recognized as an Important Intangible Cultural Property. Try grilled squid skewers from the stalls. Many vendors offer samples before you commit to buying.

What else is worth seeing in the Wajima area?

Combine the morning market with the Wajima Kiriko Art Museum, the Wajima-nuri Lacquer Hall, the Senmaida Rice Terraces (Sea of Japan rice paddies tumbling toward the coast, illuminated at night October to March), and Sojiji Soin Temple. Going further along the Noto Peninsula brings you to the Mitsukejima 'Battleship Rock' and salt-making villages. Many of these were affected by the 2024 earthquake, so check current access before planning.