Introduction to Wakayama Prefecture
Wakayama Prefecture is located at the southernmost tip of Honshu. Its rich nature, history, and culture are attractive to many tourists every year. In this issue, we will introduce the charms of Wakayama Prefecture.
Geographic location
Wakayama Prefecture is located at the southernmost tip of Honshu, in the southwestern part of the Kii Peninsula. About 80% of the prefecture’s land is covered with mountains and forests, and it faces the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean.
History & culture
Wakayama is dotted with many historical sites, and the Kii Peninsula is home to historical routes such as the Kumano Kodo.
Tourist attraction
Wakayama Prefecture has many places of natural beauty and historical interest.
Shirahama Beach
Shirahama Beach is one of the best beaches in Japan, located in the Nanki region of Wakayama Prefecture. The pure white sandy beach and emerald green sea are beautiful and attract many tourists throughout the year. In addition to swimming, visitors can enjoy marine activities such as dolphin watching, snorkeling, and diving.
Kumano Kodo
Kumano Kodo is an ancient road that flourished as a pilgrimage route to the three Kumano mountains in Wakayama Prefecture. It is registered as a World Heritage site, and visitors can feel the magnificent nature up close.
Wakayama Castle
Wakayama Castle was built in the Edo period as the residence of the Kishu Tokugawa family, one of the three Tokugawa families. The castle tower is a five-story, six-story keep built in the Honmaru area and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. The castle tower commands a panoramic view of the city of Wakayama and the Kii Channel.
Koyasan
Koyasan is the head temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism and a World Heritage Site, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. The entire mountain is covered with temples and Buddhist facilities, and in addition to worshipping, visitors can also enjoy the magnificent nature.
Food culture
Boiled tofu
Wakayama Prefecture’s yudofu is characterized by its melt-in-your-mouth texture and original tofu flavor. Wakayama Prefecture is a region with abundant supplies of high-quality water and soybeans, which are used to make tofu. As a result, the tofu used to make yudofu is soft and fluffy, and the sweetness of the soybeans can be felt well.
Kishu Nanko Ume
Wakayama Prefecture boasts the largest production of pickled plums in Japan. Among them, “Kishu Nanko Ume” is especially famous for its low acidity and moderate sweetness and flavor. The ume’s thick pulp also provides a nice crunchy texture.
Sushi wrapped in kakinoha
Kakinoha Sushi, a local dish of the Nanki region of Wakayama Prefecture, is sushi topped with ingredients on vinegared rice wrapped in persimmon leaves. The unique aroma and sourness of the kakinoha leaves, the subtle sweetness of the vinegared rice, and the delicious flavor of the ingredients are a perfect match, making it one of Wakayama’s most well-known specialties.
Kishu udon
Wakayama Prefecture is the udon kingdom, boasting the largest production of udon in Japan. Among them, “Kishu Udon,” with its strong texture and smooth texture, is well known as the soul food of the people of the prefecture.
Activities
Wakayama Prefecture offers a variety of activities.
Kumano Kodo Hiking
The Kumano Kodo is a pilgrimage route to the Kumano Sanzan (three mountains), which is also registered as a World Heritage site. It is a long road, extending about 1,100 km in total length, but the degree of difficulty and time required varies depending on the course.
There are courses that can be easily enjoyed by beginners, so please give it a try.
Koyasan visit
Koyasan is the head temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism and is a vast temple complex that has been registered as a World Heritage site. The approach to the temple is lined with various temples and stores, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the atmosphere of Koyasan.
Dolphin Watching in Shirahama
Shirahama in Wakayama Prefecture is one of the three major dolphin-watching spots in Japan. The sight of dolphins swimming leisurely in the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean is truly spectacular.
If you are lucky, you may be treated to a show of jumping and acrobatics.
Skydiving at Nanki-Shirahama Airport.
From Nanki-Shirahama Airport in Wakayama Prefecture, you can enjoy skydiving with a spectacular view of the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean.
The experience takes about 20 minutes, and you will jump from an altitude of about 4,000 meters. Visitors can fully enjoy the magnificent nature and beautiful ocean scenery, which is different from the view from the ground.
Seasonal Recommendations
Wakayama Prefecture offers the beauty of each of the four seasons.
Spring
- Cherry blossoms along the Kumano Kodo: In spring, approximately 1,000 cherry trees bloom along the Kumano Kodo, providing an original Japanese landscape.
- Wakayama Castle Light-up: Wakayama Castle is a popular cherry blossom viewing spot in spring. The lighting up of its cherry blossoms and Wakayama Castle takes place during the cherry blossom season in late March or early April, and lasts for about an hour.
Summer
- Swimming: Facing the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, Wakayama Prefecture has many beaches suitable for swimming. Especially popular is Shirahama Beach, with its beautiful white sands and blue ocean, which attracts many tourists in summer.
- Fireworks Display: Various fireworks displays are held in Wakayama Prefecture in the summer. Among them, the “Kishu Wakayama Kokutai Kinen Wakayama Fireworks Festival” is one of the three largest fireworks festivals in Japan. About 10,000 fireworks are shot off, and combined with the scenery along the coast, they create a fantastic spectacle.
Autumn
- Harvesting Kishu Nanko Ume Plums: Wakayama Prefecture boasts the largest production of pickled plums in Japan, and harvesting of Kishu Nanko plums is usually available from late September to early November. Harvesting is available at farms and tourist facilities, where visitors can sample the harvested plums on the spot.
- Foliage along the Kumano Kodo: Among the Kumano Kodo, the approximately 30-km section from Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine to Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine is especially famous for its autumn foliage. The majestic mountains of the Kumano mountain range turn red and yellow, providing a breathtaking view.
Winter
- Snowy Landscape of Koyasan: The snowy landscape of Koyasan is also called “Snowy Temple” because of its majesty. The snow-covered five-story pagoda and the Kongobuji temple complex look like a painting.
- Shirahama Onsen: Shirahama Onsen is one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan and has been loved by many people since ancient times. In winter, Shirahama Onsen has beautiful snowy scenery, and the view from the open-air baths is exceptional.
Local Culture
Wakayama Prefecture has local festivals and traditional crafts that allow visitors to experience local culture.
Festival
- Kishu Wakayama Kokutai Kinen Wakayama Fireworks Festival: Held every August at Kiiji Park in Wakayama City, this large-scale fireworks festival is one of the three largest in Japan. It is also one of Wakayama Prefecture’s representative events, attracting approximately 1 million tourists from Japan and abroad.
- Wakayama Festival: This festival is held annually in Wakayama City from July 23 to 24. The highlight of the festival is the “Hanagasa Odori,” in which about 1,000 dancers parade through the city center wearing gorgeous hanagasa hats.
- Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine Festival: The Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine Festival is one of the three most bizarre festivals in Japan. Held every year on July 14, it is a ritual in which shrine parishioners carrying large torches set fire to the Nachi Falls. The taimatsu weighs about 100 kg, and the shrine parade of shrine parishioners is a spectacular spectacle, with the water spraying up from the basin of the waterfall.
Traditional crafts
- Kishu Lacquerware: Kishu lacquerware is a traditional craft that began in the Muromachi period. It is characterized by its simple and sturdy construction.
- Koya Bamboo Craft: Bamboo craftsmanship is handed down in Koya Town located at the foot of Mt. Koya, is a traditional bamboo craftwork that has been handed down in Koya Town, located at the foot of Mount Koya. Bamboo grown in the harsh natural environment of Mount Koya is characterized by its flexibility and strength. Koya bamboo crafts are characterized by delicate and beautiful works that take advantage of the characteristics of bamboo.
- Wakayama Yuzen Wa: Wakayama Yuzen is characterized by bright and vivid colors. The designs are also distinctive, with flowers such as plum and cherry blossoms and auspicious patterns such as cranes depicted with delicate brush strokes. It is used for kimonos such as yukata and obi, as well as for accessories, and is popular both in Japan and abroad.
Transportation
Wakayama Prefecture is accessible by air, bullet train, train, and highway bus.
Airplane
It takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) to Nanki Shirahama Airport.
Shinkansen
It takes about 2 hours from Shin-Osaka Station to Wakayama Station.
Railway
It takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station, and about 2 hours from Shin-Osaka Station to Wakayama Station.
Express Bus
It takes about 6 hours from Tokyo Station to Wakayama Station.
Lastly
Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture with abundant nature, history and culture. You can enjoy beautiful scenery in each of the four seasons, as well as spots where you can experience history and culture. Why not visit Wakayama to enjoy its beautiful natural scenery and traditional culture?