Senmaida Rice Fields 白米千枚田

Shiroyone Senmaida is a scenic hillside of tiered rice paddies. Situated along the Noto Peninsula these unusual fields were nationally designated a "Special Place of Scenic Beauty".

Senmaida is most easily accessed by private vehicle or rental car. There is a limited express bus service from JR Kanazawa Station, however it requires some transfers and runs infrequently.

There is a large parking lot located next to the rice fields and rest house. Expect traffic jams during busy seasons.

Because of their small size, the rice fields at Senmaida are worked by hand. A large number of volunteers gather to carefully plant rice one by one in May, to be harvested in September. Whatever season you visit, take the time to enjoy the fields from different perspectives, walking down to the ocean and through the small paths that wind through the paddies.

One of the most spectacular times to see the rice fields is at night during winter from mid-October to mid-March. The paddies are festooned with LED lights which change color every 15 minutes, the work of volunteers.

The rice fields can be visited on a journey through the Noto Peninsula . Combine your trip with a visit to the Okunoto Endenmura Salt Farm north of the terraced rice fields on Route 249, one of the few remaining traditional salt producers in the area.