The Hanayome-Noren Train 花嫁のれん
Hanayone-Noren train (JNTO)
Between Kanazawa and Wakura-Onsen, Noto Peninsula
The train "Hanayome Noren" is a sightsseing train connecting Kanazawa station on the Hokuriku shinkansen line and Wakura Onsen station along the Nanao line. A good way to explore the Noto peninsula !
Hospitality, Harmony, and Beauty
We're in Ishikawa Prefecture, on the north-western coast of the Sea of Japan, with the “Hanayome Noren” tourist train linking Kanazawa station, in cojunction with the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and Wakura Onsen Station along the Nanao line. The region boasts a fine art of living, of which its inhabitants are proud and which they want to show off, as in the case of this train, which has a rare inner beauty. Every detail has been studied and created with the utmost care. As you can see, as soon as you step aboard, you hardly dare touch or sit down, so precious and delicate is everything. Gold veneers, painted flowers and birds, numerous semi-partitioned spaces in which the decoration differs with the seasons, cherry blossoms, red maple leaves, bamboo, chrysanthemums, clematis, the wind in the trees, the eddies of a river.
The seats are a rare class of deep red, with the backs in light wood. They swivel as you wish to face your guests or gaze at the scenery.
The Hanayome-Noren train is a true visual success, for this train is a museum of all the region's beauty and traditions, for an enchanting journey.
Enjoy the Hanayome-Noren train
The very name of “Hanayome-Noren” train comes from a 19th-century bridal custom in which a light silk curtain was specially made for the event and displayed in the groom's home. That's why, at Kanazawa station, on the train's departure platform, you'll pass beneath this 'noren' curtain, beautifully decorated with traditional 'Kaga Yuzen and Wajima-nuri motifs from this Ishikawa prefecture.
As you board the train, you're greeted on the platform by staff in kimono, as a sign of deference to visitors who take the trouble to come all this way.
The interior is truly magnificent, with sumptuous materials dotting both carriages. The floor of car 1 gives the impression of being on the flagstone pathway of a temple, while in car 2 it's a stream that meanders beneath your feet.
A sales counter will interest lovers of beautiful objects, as you'll find local handicrafts, made of wood, paper, lacquer, sprinkled with gold leaf, the local specialty, even on very good chocolate waffles.
You can also reserve a bento prepared with local dishes from Ishikawa Prefecture at least 4 days before the train's departure, on the train's website: https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/train/hanayomenoren/
Hanayone-Noren train inside car 1 (JNTO)
With this train, you'll discover the heart of the Noto Peninsula. Wakura Onsen is one of the finest onsen adjacent to the Sea of Japan, facing the splendid Nanao Bay. Legend has it that the spa village opened its doors 1,200 years ago, when a fisherman found a wounded white heron in the ocean, washing its wounds with white smoke. The heron is said to have given the onsen all its virtues.
The Hanayome-Noren has 2 passenger cars available exclusively by advance reservation, and does not run every day of the week: often on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. But hardly ever on Wednesdays and Thursdays, except on public holidays.
There are two round-trips during the day, with the first departing at 11:00 a.m. from Kanazawa and arriving at 12:30 p.m. at Wakura-onsen. Subsequent departures are at 12.57pm and 5.07pm from Wakura-onsen, and at 3.28pm from Kanazawa.
Hanayone-Noren train inside car 2 (Flickr)
