Anamizu, Ishikawa

Seven fishing harbors indent the coastline of the Noto Peninsula here, and the smell of the sea arrives before any signage does. Anamizu sits near the center of the peninsula, backed by low hills that cut the winter wind, with the Nanao North Bay to the south and Toyama Bay opening to the east. The town's name appears in records as far back as 808, and the commercial street that runs through its center — lined with restaurants and everyday shops — has the unhurried density of a place that has been trading for a very long time.

The sea defines what ends up on the table. Oysters are cultivated in the bay, and sea cucumber is processed into forms — *kuchiko*, *konowata* — that take patience to make and longer to acquire a taste for. Rock nori comes off the coast. Mebarú and black sea bream move through the waters. Noto wine is pressed locally, and Noto beef is raised on the surrounding land. The Maimon Festival and the Okiwa Tairyo Festival mark the rhythms of the fishing calendar, while the Hasebe Festival recalls the medieval lords who once held this ground from Anamizu Castle.

Above the town, the Myousenji five-storied pagoda at Hakuchizan stands as evidence of how early this place was settled — the temple dates to the Asuka period. On clear nights, the sky over Anamizu is dark enough to have drawn a national stargazing gathering to the town. The hills hold the cold at bay; the harbor keeps the town oriented toward the water.