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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

Wakayama Top 10

Upcoming Wakayama Events

Wakayama All Meat Festa

Wakayama All Meat Festa

Mar 23rd - Mar 31st

The All Meat Festival in Wakayama will include around 60 stalls serving up all manner of tasty meat-based eats, along with stage..

Free Entry
Hongu Taisha Spring Festival

Hongu Taisha Spring Festival

Mid Apr

Festivals to honor the Kumano Deities and the tradition of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage are an inherent part of the annual calendar..

2 Free Entry
Kumano Hongu Shrine Spring Festival

Kumano Hongu Shrine Spring Festival

Apr 13th - Apr 15th

The spring festival at the Hongu Taisha from April 13th to 15th each year gets absolutely everyone in Hongu Town to participate..

3 Free Entry

Where to eat in Wakayama

Kuroshio Market

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

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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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