Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa, faces the Asian Continent, and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan. It has been associated with other areas across the sea since ancient times, and people frequently engaged in cultural exchanges. It could be said that the Noto Peninsula was influenced and benefited by other areas in terms of food culture.
For example, from the eighth century to the beginning of the tenth century, exchanges between Noto and Bo Hai became active. Bo Hai was a country, which prospered in the area of northeastern part of China through the northern part of Korean Peninsula in the end of the seventh century. At that time, Noto, including Fukuura in Togi Town, was very active as leading ports on the coast of the Japan Sea, and was receptive to culture of the Continent.

Exchange in the medieval period that is depicted in Suzuyaki

In the Medieval Period, "Shinkansen of the sea" which connected Tsuruga / Obama and the southern part of Hokkaido, was developed. This enabled people on the coast of the Japan Sea to exchange cultures with each other.
This is the obvious fact, because Suzuyaki made in Suzu City in Noto area from the end of the Heian period to the middle of the Muromachi period was transported to Tohoku and even to Hokkaido.

Kitamae Ships played an active part from the Edo period to the Meiji period

In modern history, Kitamae Ships, which played an active part from the Edo period to the Meiji, had a great influence on food culture in Ishikawa. Kitamae ships were merchant ships, and connected Osaka and Hokkaido via Setouchi, Sanin, Hokuriku, and Tohoku. They carried rice, liquor, clothing, general merchandise, and salt from West Japan and Hokuriku, and carried seafood and timber from Hokkaido and Tohoku. They sold those things at the ports of call.
There were various sailing areas of marine transportation. The ports of call included Esashi and Matsumae in Hokkaido, Izumo, Kyushu and so on. Imariyaki in Saga Prefecture was transported to Hokuriku, and the ships connected cultures in each place.
It originated in the time when the third Daimyo of Kaga, Maeda Toshitsune tried to transport rice to Osaka in 1639.
Main ports of call in Ishikawa Prefecture were Shioya, Hashidate, Honkichi in Kaga, Kanaiwa (Ono, Miyakoshi) in Kanazawa, Fukuura and Wajima in Noto. There are a lot of shipowners such as rich KITANI Touemon, SAKAYA family, and ZENIYA Gohei.

The main merchandises transported from Hokkaido to Hokuriku were herring and sea tangle. Radish-sushi, one of the local dishes in Ishikawa, was created by the use the herring. The way of making radish-sushi is the same as that of making turnip-sushi, which is representing the local dishes in Ishikawa in winter. While turnip-sushi is made of turnip and yellowtail, radish-sushi is made of radish and herring. Herring, brought from Hokkaido, became a traditional taste in Ishikawa.
"Konbu-jime of slices of raw fish" is another traditional dish that can be preserved. This dish makes great use of sea tangle transported by Kitamae Ships from Hokkaido.
Ono Soy Sauce from Ono, Kanazawa has had a tradition since the Edo period. Its taste is sweeter than others and complements sea tangle broth. In the Kanto district, the light taste of soy sauce, which complements tuna broth, is preferred. Food culture that was derived from across the sea influenced the taste of soy sauce.

Was food culture in Ishikawa influenced by foreign countries?

The remarkable point in local dishes in Ishikawa is that some dishes seem to be influenced by the culture of foreign countries. "Turnip sushi" and "hine-sushi" are made of pickling fish in salted rice-bran paste, and they are naturally fermented. This method might be introduced from South East Asia. The same thing applies to "ishiru", which is made by fermenting kidney of fish.
According to one report, a missionary, who was a companion of the Christian feudal lord, TAKAYAMA Ukon, created "jibu-ni", when MAEDA Toshiie invited Ukon who had been banished by TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi. Also, "grilled loach", which brings people in Kanazawa the real feeling of summer, was introduced by a Christian who was exiled from Nagasaki.