Welcome to Wakayama!

PLACES OF INTEREST:
Wakayama Castle, Kumano Sanzan, Nachi-no-Taki Waterfall, and Onsen.



Wakayama prefecture, located on the tip of the Kii Peninsula south, southwest of Osaka and Nara, is a mountainous region with 372 miles of coastline dotted with white sandy beaches and spectacular rock formations. While Wakayama is home to modern cities and a transportation network connecting it with major cities throughout Japan, much of the prefecture has remained unchanged since the days of Bunnosuke and retains its old world charm.

Wakayama prefecture has been inhabited for thousands of years and was a popular destination for the ancient poets of Nara and Kyoto. Wakayama City, the capital of Wakayama Prefecture, is located at the mouth of the Kinokawa River in the northwest corner of the prefecture. The city became a prosperous castle-town with the construction of Wakayama Castle in 1585 and later became the political and economic center of the Kishu Domain under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Today Wakayama City has a population of more than 380,000 and is conveniently located only 30 minutes from Kansai International Airport and one hour from Osaka.

WAKAYAMA CASTLE
Wakayama Castle, designated an Important Cultural Property in 1931, was built in the last decade of the 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in his efforts to unify the country during the Momoyama period (1568-1600). The Tokugawa family gained control of the nation in 1600, and in 1619, Tokugawa Ieyasu sent his 10th son, Tokugawa Yorinobu to rule the domain. The castle became the political and economic center for the Kishu Tokugawa Domain and remained so until the feudal system was abolished in 1871. The castle was destroyed during World War II, was rebuilt in 1958, and has remained the symbol of Wakayama City.

KUMANO SANZAN
Visitors flock to Wakayama to appreciate its breathtaking scenery and to make pilgrimages to Kumano Sanzan – a sacred and ancient Shinto site located more than 1,600 feet above sea level in the Kii and Nachi Mountain Ranges. Kumano Sanzan is reached by the ancient Kumano Kodo – a pilgrimage road which takes visitors through traditional mountain villages and across rugged terrain deep into the interior. Because of its relative inaccessibility and unspoiled environs, the area has, since ancient times, been referred to as ‘the place where the gods reside.’ Kumano Sanzan (the Three Holy Sites of Kumano) is made up of three shrines: Kumano Hongu Taisha, located along the central portion of the Kumano River; Kumano Hayatama Taisha, located about 25 miles downstream at the mouth of the river; and Kumano Nachi Taisha, located 12 miles to the southwest in the Nachi Mountains. There are also two Buddhist temples on the Kumano Sanzan grounds and all are connected by the pilgrimage route, Kumano Sankeimichi Nakahechi.

NACHI-NO-TAKI WATERFALL
Located high up in the Nachi Mountains, Nachi-no-taki waterfall, with its 436
foot drop, is the tallest cascade in Japan.

ONSEN
Hot springs (onsen) are popularly enjoyed throughout Japan, and Wakayama prefecture with its dramatic mountains and spectacular ocean views, offers some of Japan’s best. Yunomine Onsen is Japan’s oldest and has always been a popular resting and purification spot for pilgrims on their way to Kumano Sanzan. Other favorite hot springs include Shirhama and Katsuura along the sea, and Ryujin and Kawayu in the mountains.

JapanCorner 2005