WATAYA

The Kaga bancha tea pudding was especially delicious. We had lunch in the inn’s dining area, where they cooked char for us over a traditional Japanese hearth. The dishes were tasty, with seasonal ingredients and local river fish.

The landlady’s smile, the quiet, and the food are what make this place so special. It has no TV in the rooms, no in-room toilet or bath, and no hot spring or open-air bath. The well water from Mt. Hakusan is pumped and boiled, and it feels so pure and gentle, warming you right through. You can take your time over the inn’s much-loved cooking with drinks and conversation. The oversized nameko mushrooms grilled over charcoal were delicious, and the chef’s son prepared the river fish perfectly, looking very serious as he worked. I fell asleep a little tipsy in the silence, then got up early for another bath. Feeling warm and refreshed, I went to nearby Shirayamahime Shrine for a morning visit, breathed in the crisp, cold, clean air, and returned energized for breakfast. The landlady smiled as she saw me off. It was such a fulfilling stay, a real treat for adults, and I promised myself I’d return on the way home. 202603

Wada-ya made me feel proud of Ishikawa Prefecture. The food was fantastic and the hospitality was wonderful. I still remember how excited I felt.

We came for lunch, and watching the garden brighten in the sunshine after the rain from our room was lovely and refreshing. The main dish was small ayu (sweetfish), just right for the season. The chef watched it carefully over the indoor hearth and got the doneness just right: fluffy and moist inside, with that crisp charcoal-grilled skin. The decor was tasteful, and the service was attentive without being stiff. Hot dishes arrived hot, cold ones cold, and the timing was spot on. In the lobby waiting area overlooking the garden, birds came in to peck at sunflower seeds. It was surprising and adorable. The uphill walk from the parking lot to the entrance was hard for my 91-year-old mother-in-law and my husband, who has mobility issues, so I took off a star for the location. Still, it’s a nice design in its own way.