Marina City is 15 minutes bus ride away from Wakayama train station. It is a tiny island not far off the serene coast of Wakaura Bay. Among many attractions there, the top three popular ones include the Kuroshio Ichiba (a fish market), the Kinokuni fruit village that sells organic and locally grown fruits and Porto Europa, a European styled theme park. All three of these locations are within 3 minutes walk from the bus terminal.
Kuroshio Ichiba
The highlight of this market is the Tuna fish filleting demonstration. This demonstration is carried out daily at 11am, 12:30pm and 3pm. Visitors will be able to taste all kinds of seafood at this market as well. From sea urchins to salmon roe, you can either buy it to take home, or cook it there and then! There are steamboat tables available for visitors to cook anything purchased from the market right there by the seaside. How much fresher can your meal get?
Kinokuni Fruit Village
The fruits sold here are locally grown on farms not far from Marina City. You will find the freshest oranges and melons here! If you are a fan of oranges, do look out for their orange fruit section where they have all kinds of treats, drinks and even jams made from oranges. Apart from the fruits, you can also find locally made milkshakes and milk flavored ice-cream. They have a variety of flavors ranging from the common vanilla and chocolate to green tea and rare cheese!
Porto Europa
European architecture, classical music and dolphins! You can find these at Porto Europa theme park. The amount of effort that went into creating this little piece of Europe on an island in Japan is just astounding. Even the restrooms are consistent with the exterior architecture designs. Take a stroll through the bright colorful alleys while classical music plays in the background, and if you're feeling a little bit more adventurous, purchase your tickets at the booths and take the 22 meter plunge down on the High-Diving ride.
Also, remember to look out for dolphins when crossing the bridge over the canal!
