Osaka, Kyoto and Nara are the first three places that come to mind when we think of Kansai, Japan. Indeed, when you first come to Kansai, you usually arrange these three mainstream places. But did you know that there is more to Kansai than just these three places? Kansai also has a poetic sounding place called “Wakayama”, which is the backyard of Kansai. It's a backyard of Kansai, and there's a lot of fun to be had here! Today's post will tell you about some of the best places to eat, play, and watch in Wakayama!
Here's a model itinerary for your reference.

Wakayama Castle is a landmark of Wakayama City that stands on Torafuda Mountain. It was built in 1585 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the younger brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a famous general of the Japanese Sengoku period, and is a historical castle.

Here you can climb up to Tenshukaku to see important historical materials and enjoy the view of Wakayama City. If you want to walk around Wakayama Castle in the costume of the ancient people and experience a time travel, please make a reservation at least 7 days in advance.

The reservation form is here ↓
https://www.wakayamakanko.com/wakayama_asobi/jidai/

Although Wakayama Castle is a well-known place for cherry blossom viewing, the season varies and you can enjoy peonies, hydrangeas, daikon, azaleas, wisteria and other plants. Autumn foliage viewing at the Kobayaki-Garden is also a popular activity, and you can enjoy matcha tea and Japanese sweets at the tea house Komatsuan. If you visit on a day other than Monday or Tuesday, you might even run into one of the ninjas who welcome you with open arms!

Wakayama Jokan Chinese pamphlet ↓
http://wakayamajo.jp/riyou/pamphlet.html

Yacht Town is another sightseeing spot in Wakayama City. After experiencing the strong ancient style in Wakayama City, you can come to Yacht Town for a change of style. For those of you who have seen it in your circle, you may be confused. How can you be in an ancient Japanese city in the morning and then go to Europe in the afternoon? Not only are there architectural districts that perfectly reproduce the European style, you can take Mediterranean-style photos while you are in Japan (laughs), but you can also enjoy the sea view while soaking in the ancient hot springs from 1,500 meters under the sea!

If you're hungry, head to the Kuroshio Market in the park. Three times a day, the market hosts a free tuna disembowelment show, a show that makes even Japanese people's blood run cold! Tuna show times: 12:30pm, 15:00pm (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only)

Wakayama's famous specialty is not only tuna, but also a wide variety of fruits. At the Fruit Village, you can buy the freshest and most delicious fruits of the season. Recommended fruits: Strawberries in spring, peaches in summer, grapes in fall, mandarin oranges and persimmons in winter.
Yacht City also has a Chinese official website, now you don't have to worry about playing ↓!
https://www.marinacity.com/marinacity/tw/marinacity/

Access: From JR Wakayama Station: Bus Station Platform 1, System 42; Platform 2, System 121/122
From Nankai-Wakayama City Station: Bus Station Platform 1, System 42; Platform 2, System 117
From JR Hainan Station: Platform 2, System 117/121/47
The direction of the car is "Marina Shtei Yuki".

Grand Hotel Granvia is conveniently located within 2 minutes walk from JR Wakayama Station. This hotel is recommended if you plan to do some shopping, have a lot of luggage, or travel mainly by train.

Address: 5-18 Tomodacho, Wakayama City, Wakayama Tel: +81-(0)73-425-3333

Official Website:https://www.granvia-wakayama.co.jp/

② Daiwa Roynet Hotel Wakayama

Wakayama Castle, a major tourist attraction in Wakayama, is close by, and you can see it from your room. At night, Tenshokaku is beautifully illuminated by soothing lights. You can't get a view like this too often!

Address: 26-1 Shichibantei, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture Tel: +81-73-435-0055

Official Website:https://www.daiwaroynet.jp/wakayama/

 

Adventure World is a large-scale entertainment park that combines a zoo and an amusement park. Here you can not only see lions, African elephants, giraffes and other beasts that can only be found in the tropical savannah, but also our national treasures - there are 6 pandas here! Inside the park, penguins will march in formation and you can even feed the giraffes!
After a short ride on a specialized buggy and close contact with wild animals, we will greet our national treasure, the Panda, and then go to the interactive park to play with the cute little animals, and finally go to the amusement park! Roller coasters, go-karts and other amusement facilities are sure to satisfy both the energetic kids and the childish adults! World of Adventure does not have a Chinese website yet.
↓
https://www.aws-s.com/

For transportation in Shirahama, you can use a one-day bus pass, which is 1100 yen a day for unlimited rides to various sightseeing spots. Remember to buy your one-day pass before you visit any of the sightseeing spots!

Legend has it that this was once a cave where the Kumano navy hid their ships. Take the elevator down to a depth of 36 meters and the adventure in the cave begins!
Not only can you learn about the history of the Genpei Battle, but you can also see a spectacular view of the waves crashing into the cavern. Although the waves are very impressive, be careful not to get your clothes wet.

The large rocky outcrops are stacked together and stretch out towards the Pacific Ocean. The white rocks are sandstones from the ancient times and are relatively soft in texture. The rocks have been eroded by the waves over the years, giving them an artistic shape of ripples. It is one of the famous scenic spots of Wakayama Nanki Shirahama.

Shirahama is known as a landmark. Although it is only a small island with a height of 25 meters (130 meters from north to south, 35 meters from east to west), there is an erosion hole in the center of the island, which is called “Amagetsujima“. The sunset here is one of the "100 Best Sunsets in Japan"! Don't miss it!

White sand beaches are not just a privilege of tropical islands! Shirahama is home to a white sand beach that the people of Wakayama are very proud of. Umbrellas made of coconut leaves are lined up in an arc along the 640-meter stretch of beach. Do you feel like you are in Hawaii? This is a sister beach to Waikiki Beach in Hawaii!

Toretore Park has the largest seafood market in Western Japan and a resort facility built around it. Here, you can enjoy freshly caught fish and soak in the hot springs. No matter what time of year you visit, you will be able to refresh your mind and body.

Enjoying a historic hot spring while gazing out over the boundless sea is a wonderful experience that is not easily available even in Japan. Hotel Infinito also offers Japanese and Italian cuisine using fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables. Shirahama is a place where you can enjoy a beautifully presented meal with rich colors and luxurious ingredients.

Shirahama Onsen Musashi has been selected as one of Japan's 100 most beautiful sunset accommodations and one of the 250 5-star hotels. As an authentic Japanese-style ryokan in the Shirahama area, the hotel has two types of hot springs and seven types of baths, as well as private hot spring rooms. You can stay here with your children without worrying about them! You can also see Marigetsujima from here!

For dinner, you can choose from the deluxe Kaiseki cuisine or buffet.

Musashi specializes in luxury kaiseki cuisine and has received many positive reviews from its customers. You can enjoy the sea food such as Kumano beef, abalone, lobster, and Umezumi sea bream.
Seasonal ingredients may vary depending on the season.

Kushimoto is the southernmost region of Honshu, Japan, and the first region in the world where tuna are farmed in captivity. Since there are a lot of sightseeing spots in Kushimoto, you can rent a motorized bicycle for the whole day. Rental bikes are available at the Kushimoto Tourism Association near the station.

HANGYAN BRIDGE

In the sea stretching from Kushimoto to Oshima, there are more than 40 rock pillars of various sizes stretching for about 850 meters. They are arranged in a regular pattern like bridge piers, hence the name “Hashihangan“. The sunrise here is one of the "Top 100 Sunrises in Japan", so don't miss it if you have the chance to see it! There is a rest area near Hashihangan, just off the national highway from Kushimoto to Nachi Katsuura. It's also a good place to take a break from traveling.

Address: Take a short ride along National Highway 42 and you'll see the rest area bridge Hangyan.

Chiu Misaki Lighthouse, the southernmost monument in Honshu

Misaki is the southernmost part of Honshu, Japan. The southernmost monument in Honshu is located here. Standing on the Cape Shio Observation Tower, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the scenery from a height of 100 meters. There is also a lighthouse near the cape, which has been guiding ships on the sea for more than 100 years. This white light station, built on a cliff, is a symbol of the southernmost tip of Honshu. You can't help but marvel at the fact that the earth is really round!

Address: The southernmost part of the map. Ride all the way south or take the bus.

Kushimoto Nakanaka Park

One of the world's three major ocean currents, the Kuroshio, passes underneath Kushimoto, making the sea of Kushimoto colorful. In addition to an aquarium displaying a wide variety of fish, there is also an observation tower in the sea where you can see different fish depending on the season. If you want to see more of the creatures of the sea, you can take a semi-submersible boat tour and walk around the sea filled with coral and tropical fish. In Kushimoto Marine Park, you will also have the opportunity to get in touch with sea turtles, sea cucumbers, sea urchins and starfish.

As I mentioned before, Kushimoto was the first place in the world to realize tuna farming, and tuna shabu-shabu has become a local specialty. Tuna sashimi is very good, but it is also delicious when you put it in a pot of seaweed soup and eat it after gently shaking off the oil!

There are restaurants that offer tuna shabu-shabu okonomiyaki:

Chiu Misaki Observation Tower-Views of the sea level.
Tel: 0735-62-0810
Business Hours: 8:30~16:30 (March~November)
Address: 2706-2 Shiozaki, Kushimoto-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture
Website:https://kumanokanko.nankai-nanki.jp/shionomisaki/

Cutting and Cooking - Seinomon-A popular store for locals too!
Tel: 0735-62-5077
Business hours：17：00~21：30 Monday/Third Sunday Closed
Address: 1735-34 Kushimoto, Kushimoto-machi, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture

Nanki Tsukise Onsen Mudanso-Delicious dishes full of nature's bounty
Tel: 0735-72-0376
Business Hours: 11:00~13:30 17:30~19:00
Address: 881-1 Tsukinoze, Kozagawa-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture
Website:https://www.botansou.jp/

Mercure Wakayama Kushimoto Resort & SPA -Massive resort hotel on a raised platform
Tel: 0735-62-7771
Business Hours: 11:30~14:00 18:00~21:30
Address：1184-10 Sangodai, Kushimoto-machi, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture
Website:https://mercure-wakayamakushimoto-resortandspa.jp/

Kumano-bedi Nakanoshima
A hotel on an island, where privacy is kept to the extreme and silence is a luxury. The open-air hot spring "Kishu Chomunoyu" is the best in Japan. Surrounded by the blue sea, you can experience your own unique moment here. Enjoy a feast for the eyes and the palate as you take in the "forest of Kumano" and the "sea of Kuroshio".

Transportation: Since Nakanoshima can only be reached by boat, please take the hotel's boat at the "Passenger Boat Waiting Area" located at Katsuura Port.

Address: 1179-9 Oaza Katsuura, Nachi Katsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture
Tel: 0735-52-1111
Official Website:https://kb-nakanoshima.jp/

Since ancient times, Kumano has been regarded as a "holy place of salvation and healing," and many believers in the mountain faith have overcome their hardships to come to Nachi Mountain. Famous sights in Nachi include Omonzaka, part of the Kumano Kodo (Kumano Ancient Trail), which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Nachi Falls, Japan's largest waterfall, which is cool in the summer; and Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine, which is the corner of the Kumano Sanzan Mountain Range, and is a place where many people's beliefs are still held today.

Omonzaka Heian Clothing Experience
The Heian Period is the period from 794 to 1185 in Japan. There is an “Omonzaka Tea House” near the Kumano Kodo (Kumano Kodo), where you can rent Heian Period costumes and take photos. Would you like to walk around this ancient sacred place as an ancient person from a thousand years ago?

Costume experience business hours: 9:00~16:00 (registration deadline 15:00)
Fee: 2 hours, ¥3,000 (Walking around Nachiyama in a peace suit)

With a drop of 133 meters, Nachi Falls has become Japan's number one famous waterfall, and is one of the "Three Great Waterfalls of Japan" along with Hwajin Falls in Tochigi Prefecture and Kangata Falls in Ibaraki Prefecture. The first emperor of Japan, Emperor Jimmu, saw this magnificent waterfall and enshrined it as a Shinto shrine (an object considered sacred in Japanese Shinto). It is said that touching the water drops from the waterfall has the effect of prolonging one's life! Nachi Falls is located in the southern part of Wakayama Prefecture, which has a warm climate but is also known as an area where rain falls frequently. There is a long uphill walk after entering the gate, so be sure to wear sneakers.
Transportation: Take a bus from Kii Katsunura Station or Nachi Station to Nachiyama.

After 4 days and 3 nights of traveling, it's time to go back. After leaving Nachiyama, you can take the JR Kisei Main Line back to Osaka. If you still want to visit Tokyo, you can take a bus back to Shirahama and fly back to Tokyo from Nanki Shirahama Airport. That's right, Nanki Shirahama Airport has opened direct flights to Tokyo, and you can arrive in Tokyo in one hour. Isn't it convenient?

This 4-day/3-night itinerary follows the west coast of Wakayama Prefecture from the north to the south, with no overlapping routes, and it is the most efficient and time-saving way to connect all the famous areas in the area.

Here are some other ways to enter Wakayama Prefecture for reference. Tokyo (airport) → Shirahama → Kushimoto → Nachiyama → Wakayama → Kansai Exit is suitable for those who enter and exit from Keihan.
I flew from Tokyo to Shirahama and took the train all the way back to Osaka Kansai Airport.
Nagoya→Nagoyama→Kushimoto→Shirahama→Wakayama→Kansai Exit If you are coming from Nagoya, you can take the limited express Nanki, which will take about 3 hours to the final destination, Kii Katsudura Station.
Afterwards, the itinerary of this guide is reversed. I wonder if your understanding of Wakayama has deepened after reading this guide.
Wakayama is the place to be if you want to explore Kansai, if you are a food lover, if you love nature and the world's cultural heritages!