Prefecture guide
Wakayama
和歌山県
The mountainous Kii Peninsula of the Kumano Kodo pilgrim trails, the temple town of Mount Koya, Nachi Falls and the beaches of Shirahama.
Advisories (minor): Thunder, Heavy rain, High waves · Alerts for all of Japan
- places to see
- 34
- town guides
- 2
- protected local foods
- 3
- traditional crafts
- 4
- Japan Heritage stories
- 7
Map of Wakayama
Tap a pin to see the place, or a town name for its guide. You can switch on places to eat and stay too.
Places to see in Wakayama
Kokawa Ubusuna Shrine
粉河産土神社A Shinto shrine in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
Shimosato Kofun
下里古墳An ancient burial mound in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
- Wakayama City
Kada Kasuga Shrine
加太春日神社A Shinto shrine in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
Minakata Kumagusu Museum
南方熊楠記念館A museum in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
- Wakayama City
Wakayama Castle Park Zoo
和歌山城公園動物園A castle in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
- Wakayama City
Wakayama Castle Nishinomaru Garden
和歌山城西之丸庭園A castle in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
- Wakayama City
Wakayama City Children's Science Museum
和歌山市立こども科学館A museum in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
- Tanabe
Isoma Rock Shelter Site
磯間岩陰遺跡A historic site in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
Kii Kokubun-ji Temple
紀伊国分寺A Buddhist temple in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
Nokami Hachimangu
野上八幡宮A Shinto shrine in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
- Wakayama City
Yosui-en
養翠園A garden in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
Koyasan Reihokan
高野山霊宝館A museum in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
Town guides in Wakayama
The towns with the most to see, each with its own guide.
Taste of Wakayama
Foods whose names are protected in Japan. If the label carries the name, it really comes from here.
Traditional crafts of Wakayama
Officially recognised crafts that are still made by hand. A good place to start when you look for souvenirs.
This week's weather (nearest forecast: Osaka)
Today
24 Oct
Rain
High 25°CLow 20°C
Sun
25 Oct
Rain
High 29°CLow 22°C
Rain 90%
Mon
26 Oct
Cloudy
High 25°CLow 19°C
Rain 70%
Tue
27 Oct
Cloudy
High 24°CLow 17°C
Rain 50%
Warm: T-shirts and breathable clothes, plus a light layer for air-conditioned trains and shops.
Explore by interest
Japan Heritage stories
Local history told as a route you can follow, with the places that go with it.
- Hirokawa: the tsunami levee built for a hundred generations
- Katsuragi Shugen: where mountain asceticism began
- Living with whales on the Kumano coast
- Nyonin Koya: the temples where women prayed instead of Mount Koya
- Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage: Japan's 1,300-year journey of the heart
- Wakanoura: a bay of views that inspired poets
- Yuasa: where Japanese soy sauce began
Good to know
- Mount Koya has many temples that offer overnight stays with Buddhist vegetarian meals.
- The Kumano Kodo is a World Heritage pilgrimage route with walks of a day or several days.
- Wakayama grows much of Japan's ume plums, used for umeboshi and umeshu.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Wakayama?
Most visitors take the JR Kuroshio limited express from Shin-Osaka to Wakayama City and down the coast to Shirahama. From Nagoya, the Nanki limited express takes about three and a half hours. From Tokyo, fly to Nanki-Shirahama Airport in just over an hour, or go by train via Osaka or Nagoya.
Can I walk the Kumano Kodo and stay at Koyasan?
Yes. The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails and the temple town of Koyasan, where you can stay overnight in a temple and eat Buddhist shojin ryori, are both UNESCO World Heritage. Spring, with mild weather and little rain, is ideal for walking the Kumano Kodo.
What should I eat in Wakayama?
Fresh tuna, since Wakayama lands more never-frozen tuna than anywhere in Japan. Try Wakayama ramen in a rich pork and soy broth, umeboshi pickled plums (Wakayama grows the most plums in Japan) and sweet mikan oranges from October to January.
More of Kansai
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.