Shiroyone Senmaida | The Breathtaking Terraced Rice Fields Overlooking the Sea of Japan
Along the Noto Peninsula’s dramatic coastline in Ishikawa Prefecture lies one of Japan’s most mesmerizing landscapes — Shiroyone Senmaida, or “A Thousand Rice Terraces.”
These hand-carved rice fields cascade down the hillside toward the Sea of Japan, creating a scene that changes with every season and every sunset.
🌾 The Living Art of Japan’s Countryside
Each of the 1,000-plus tiny paddies is carefully shaped by hand, a symbol of harmony between people and nature.
In spring, the terraces shimmer like mirrors as they fill with water; in summer, they glow green with growing rice; and in autumn, golden fields sway in the sea breeze.
In winter, snow covers the curves, turning the hills into a quiet monochrome painting.
Every season reveals a different kind of beauty — natural, fleeting, and deeply Japanese.
🌅 A Landscape That Glows at Night
From October to March, Shiroyone Senmaida transforms into a magical night scene with the “Aze no Kirameki” Illumination, where thousands of LED lights trace the terraces like a starry sky on earth.
The blue and pink lights reflect on the paddies, blending the sea, land, and sky into one breathtaking spectacle.
📷 A Photographer’s Dream
The contrast of the terraced lines against the blue horizon makes Shiroyone Senmaida one of Japan’s most photographed rural sites.
Whether you visit at sunrise, sunset, or under the illumination, it’s impossible to take a bad shot here.
🗺️ Access & Basic Info
Name: Shiroyone Senmaida (白米千枚田)
Location: Shiroyone Town, Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Admission: Free
Illumination Period: October–March (Aze no Kirameki)
Official Info: https://senmaida.wajima-kankou.jp/
Access:
- 🚗 By car: About 20 min from downtown Wajima
- 🚌 By bus: From Wajima Station, take the Hokutetsu Bus bound for Sosogi and get off at “Senmaida.”
🌾 Where the land meets the sea — and tradition meets eternity.
