Wajima City

Fired Mt. Komine soil, under the lacquer.

Jinoko, Wajima-nuri base

Photo by Asturio Cantabrio (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Sojiji Soin

After the 1898 fire,the head temple moved to Yokohama.

Founded in 1321 by Gasan Joseki, this was the head temple of the Soto Zen school. A fire in 1898 destroyed the grounds, and in 1910 the head temple moved to Sojiji in Yokohama's Tsurumi. The zelkova-built gate and Buddha hall, rebuilt afterward, still stand on the grounds today. Visitors may tour the grounds.

1321 (Gen-o 1): founded by Gasan Joseki
1898: fire destroys the grounds; 1910: head temple moves to Yokohama
The zelkova-built gate and Buddha hall stand here

02 ／ Nafune's Gojinjo Daiko drums

With bark masks and seaweed hair,villagers are said to have driven back Uesugi's army.

In 1576, as Uesugi Kenshin's forces advanced through Noto, villagers in Nafune are said to have made masks from tree bark, worn seaweed as hair, and beaten drums in a night raid. Uesugi's troops fled. Crediting the goddess of Okutsuhime on Hegurajima, villagers have worn the masks and beaten the drums every August 1 at the Okutsuhime Shrine festival (Nafune Taisai) ever since.

1576 (Tensho 4): Uesugi Kenshin advances through Noto
Villagers are said to have driven off Uesugi's troops with masks and drums
Every August 1: performed at Okutsuhime Shrine's festival (Nafune Taisai)

03 ／ Hegurajima

About 50km north of Wajima port,an island of women divers.

Hegurajima lies about 50km north of Wajima port, an island roughly 5km around, formed from rock left by volcanic activity over ten million years ago. Known as an island of ama women divers, it is also one of the best rest stops for migratory birds. The regular ferry Nozomi takes 1 hour 25 minutes each way, and was running as usual as of September 2026.

About 50km north of Wajima port, roughly 5km around
An island of ama divers; a major stopover for migratory birds
The ferry Nozomi: 1 hour 25 minutes each way

Living here

The smallest terrace paddy: 50cm square.

about 20,000 people

Shiroyone Senmaida, a National Scenic Spot, is a rice terrace of 1,004 paddies on a roughly 4-hectare slope facing the sea east of central Wajima; each paddy averages about 18 square meters, and the smallest is only about 50cm square. On May 9, 2026, rice was planted in 480 of the paddies.

People living here: 24,608people
Area: 426.35km²
Households: 10,208households
Rent (average for rentals): 35,288yen
Healthcare: 1 hospital ／ 24 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Population from 2010 onward (municipal boundary changed).2006-02-01 に新設合併（門前町）。2010年調査から市域が変わっている。

Children waiting for childcare: —12 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

Shape

Borders 4 municipalities.

Wajima City in Japan37.391°N 136.899°E

Territory of Wajima City

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

74.1km

穴水町, 能登町, 珠洲市, 志賀町

Travel times per leg are not published by the municipality, so they are not shown.

Wajima City isthis kind of town.

01The undercoat of Wajima lacquerware (Wajima-nuri) is made by firing diatomite called jinoko, found on Mt. Komine in the city. This technique is a National Important Intangible Cultural Property, and its craft and history can be seen at the Ishikawa Prefectural Wajima Museum of Urushi Art.
02Wajima City was formed in 2006 by merging with Monzen. Sojiji Soin, the Soto Zen school's head temple founded in 1321, became the "soin" (ancestral temple) here after the 1898 fire, and its zelkova-built gate and Buddha hall can still be visited today.
03In Nafune, the Gojinjo Daiko drums are said to have driven back Uesugi Kenshin's army with masks in 1576, and are still played every August 1 at the Nafune Taisai festival. Hegurajima, about 50km to the north, is known as an island of ama divers.

See the town as it is now.

Source: Wikidata (P2002, P2003, P2013, P2397)

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Wajima City official site ↗Wikipedia ↗