Half of hot spring inns in Noto remain closed 2 years after quake

Around half of hot spring inns on the Noto Peninsula in central Japan remain closed two years after a strong earthquake on New Year's Day devastated the area, leaving local businesses concerned about a talent drain.Sake brewing businesses in the affected region of Ishikawa Prefecture facing the Sea of Japan, which was additionally hit by heavy rains in September 2024, are also struggling to recover due to a labor shortage and surging rice prices.In the Wakura hot spring resort, only nine out of 20 Japanese-style ryokan inns had reopened as of early December after all of them closed followin…READ FULL ARTICLE