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Wakayama

Kick around Kumano Kodo and Mount Koya

About Wakayama
Nachi Shrine & Waterfall (Photo: Virginia Gonzalez / JT)

Top Attractions in Wakayama

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Around Wakayama

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Wakayama Top 10

  1. The Green Pheasant - Japan's National Bird
    1

    The Green Pheasant - Japan's National Bird

    Tanabe
  2. Shirahama Beach
    2

    Shirahama Beach

    Activities
  3. The Home of the Sanada Clan
    3

    The Home of the Sanada Clan

    Culture
  4. Japan's Most Beautiful Graveyard
    4

    Japan's Most Beautiful Graveyard

    Koyasan
  5. Japan's Waikiki: Visiting Shirahama Beach
    5

    Japan's Waikiki: Visiting Shirahama Beach

    Activities
  6. Tsubo-yu Onsen
    6

    Tsubo-yu Onsen

    Tanabe
  7. Nachi Waterfall
    7

    Nachi Waterfall

    Activities
  8. Kumano Hongu's Oyunohara Torii Gate
    8

    Kumano Hongu's Oyunohara Torii Gate

    Tanabe
  9. The Healing Powers of Yunomine Onsen
    9

    The Healing Powers of Yunomine Onsen

    Tanabe
  10. Mikan Country in Tanabe, Wakayama
    10

    Mikan Country in Tanabe, Wakayama

    Tanabe

Where to eat in Wakayama

Kuroshio Market
Japanese

Kuroshio Market

José Manuel Zardain

Kuroshio market is the highlight of Marina City in Wakayama. Watch the tuna cutting presentation and eat some maguro or blue fin..

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Places to stay in Wakayama

Kiri-no-Sato Lodge
Accommodation

Kiri-no-Sato Lodge

Alena Eckelmann

Kiri-no-Sato is a mountain-top lodge offering a splendid view, organic food for dinner and breakfast, and a soak in hot water in..

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Latest Wakayama Reports

Temple Camp in Kumano
Accommodation

Temple Camp in Kumano

Alena Eckelmann

Temple Camp or Temple Hotel, staying at Daitai-ji temple in Kumano, Wakayama, you can enjoy sauna and Zen near the famous Nachi..

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About Wakayama

Okinawa Nagasaki Fukuoka Saga Kumamoto Kagoshima Miyazaki Oita Ehime Kochi Tokushima Kagawa Yamaguchi Hiroshima Okayama Tottori Shimane Hyogo Kyoto Osaka Wakayama Nara Shiga Mie Fukui Ishikawa Toyama Gifu Aichi Nagano Shizuoka Niigata Yamanashi Kanagawa Tokyo Saitama Gunma Tochigi Chiba Ibaraki Fukushima Miyagi Yamagata Iwate Akita Aomori Hokkaido
Region Kansai
Island Honshu
Capital Wakayama
Population 1,002,198
Area 4724.68 km²

Just south of Osaka, Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県, Wakayama-ken) offers a stark contrast to its northern neighbor - idyllic countryside views and a much more laid-back lifestyle, but with more than enough places to see to keep you busy for at least a couple of days.

Wakayama’s main attraction is Mount Koya, one of Japanese Buddhism’s most sacred sites. Okuno-in, which is the largest graveyard in Japan and is the final resting place of the great monk Kukai (or Kobo Daishi) along with many daimyo, as well as the famous temple Kongobu-ji, are located within this area. Some of Mount Koya’s temples even offer one-night stay experiences. Much of the Kumano Kodo, the World Heritage Site pilgrimage, is also located within Wakayama.

Historical and cultural significance aside, Wakayama also attracts tourists due to its beaches and hot springs, the best of which can be found in Shirahama.

Around Wakayama

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