osaka-wajima

From Osaka to Wajima it takes about 6 hours. Wajima is located near the Japan Sea and is a city in Ishikawa Prefecture, near the Noto Peninsula. We started out quite early and caught the Thunderbird (the name of the express train) from Osaka to Wakura Onsen. 

Upon arriving at Wakura Onsen, we didn't have much time before our next connection, so we picked up some sushi and sweets in the waiting area.

The sushi was different, instead of being wrapped in nori (laver), these were wrapped with egg. We also tried miso manju (steamed buns filled with sweet bean paste). The outer bun has miso (soy bean paste) in it so it is a sweet/salty combination. Another item was egara manju, this was more like mochi (rice cake) than manju (steamed bun). 

This was filled with sweet bean paste and topped with grains of mochi rice (glutenous rice). Everything was delicious. 

As the train that would take us from Wakura Onsen to Anamizu neared the platform, you could hear a song start to play, I found out later that this was called "Wakura Ondo" a traditional song in this area. (checkout the video up top) I thought this was neat because most times when trains near the platform, there are melodies playing (to warn that the train is coming or going) but none with actual singing. (Sorry I only caught the ending of the song.) 

From Wakura Onsen to Anamizu it took about 30 minutes by train, this train line is very small, there is only a total of two cars going in both directions and at times we had to wait for the other to pass to use the rails. From Anamizu, it was another 30 to 40 minutes by bus through some mountainous curvy roads to Wajima. Wajima is most noted for their lacquerware, similar to Wakasa in Fukui. 

Tomorrow, I'll cover some of the sights in Wajima, it turned out to be more than we expected. 

Takeuchi Miso Manju O-14 Tatsuruhamachi-cho Nanao, Ishikawa (right)

Sugimori Egara Manju 45 Ri-bu Tazuruhama-cho Nanao, Ishikawa (left)