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Sacred ground for
mountain worship - Thick green forests and deep blue ocean
Wakayama expands from the center to the southernmost part of the
Honshu Island (the mainland of Japan). The mysterious mountains on
Wakayama have attracted many people as a sacred ground since ancient
times.
The coastline has rows of precipitous cliffs, and the sea is studded
with some 130 islands of all sizes. The mountains close to the coast
have gone through numerous upheavals and submergences where formed
complex topography. There are various types of oddly shaped and
gigantic rocks around the ancient sacred ground in the mountains.
The climate is moderate. Wakayama is also blessed with many scenic
spots, such as the Kumano-Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine in Mt. Nachi-san,
the Sasuta-Hiko-jinja Shrine that worships the Nachi-no-o-taki Falls,
Mt. Koya-san, the 1,200-year-old sacred ground for Buddhism in Japan
and surrounding Koya-Ryujin Quasi-National Park and Yoshino-Kumano
National Park, and the Kino-kawa River that irrigates the Wakayama
Plain. Other must-sees are the Nanki Shirahama, one of the most
prominent hot springs in the Kansai region and the cityscape of
Wakayama-City that embraces the Wakayama Castle.
Getting there
Take JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line for 2 hours and 30 minutes from
Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station. Then take JR Hanwa Line for 1
hour from Shin-Osaka Station to Wakayama Station.
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Doro-kyo Valley
A 31-kilometer-long valley in the tributary of Kumano-gawa River
with precipitous rock cliffs and gigantic, oddly shaped rocks
The Doro-kyo Valley is situated in the eastern Wakayama at the
border with Nara and Mie. It is a collective term for the
31-kilometer-long ravines along the Kitayama-gawa River, a tributary
of the Kumano-gawa River in the Yoshino-Kumano National Park. The
valley was formed by erosion on the slates and sandstones. It is
separated into Shimo-Doro, Kami-Doro and Oku-Doro from the
downstream. Shimo-Doro, also known as Shimo-Hatcho, has the best
scenic beauty and is designated as the precious natural monument.
Doro-Hatcho is a 1.2-kilometer-long ravine that stretches from
Tamaoki-guchi in Kumano-gawa Town, Wakayama to Tado in Totsukawa
Village, Nara. Sheer cliffs rise on both sides offering scenic views
of gigantic rocks and oddly shaped rocks. You can view those scenes
from a traditional Japanese style boat or a hovercraft that starts
from Tamaoki-guchi or Shiko in the downstream.
In Oku-Doro, You can experience rafting steered by an expert
raftsman with a single pole through the rapid currents, or on a
rubber boat with an instructor. There are Kumano-gawa-onsen Hot
Spring, Iruka-onsen Hot Spring and Yunokuchi-onsen Hot Spring in the
surrounding areas. A lorry train runs 1 kilometer between
Iruka-onsen and Yunokuchi-onsen in 10 minutes.
Getting there
Take JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line for 1 hour and 36 minutes from
Tokyo Station to Nagoya Station, then take JR Kansai and Kise Line
for 3 hours and 10 minutes from Nagoya Station to Shingu Station.
From Osaka, take JR Hanwa and Kise Line for 4 hours from Shin-Osaka
Station to Shingu Station.
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Hino-misaki and Dojo-ji
Temple
Cape Hino-misaki, a vista of the Pacific Ocean - Dojo-ji, the oldest
temple in Wakayama
Hino-misaki is a cape in the western part of the Kii-hanto
Peninsula. The Shirama-sanmyaku Mountain Range ends in the
ocean-facing cliffs of Mt. Hino-yama. The area around the lighthouse
at the cape is Hino-misaki Park, with promenades as well as a view
spot at an elevation of 200 meters overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The beautiful pinewoods of Enju-ga-hama Beach are 500 meters wide
and extend for 6 kilometers. In the early 20th century, people who
have immigrated to Canada or America, and those who returned to
Japan built houses in a Western style, painted white or having a
tiled roof with stucco. This exotic village is called America-mura,
or American Village.
Dojo-ji Temple is located in the northeast of Cape Hino-misaki and
is the oldest temple in Wakayama, erected by the Emperor of that
time in the early 8th century. The red-painted Nio-mon Gate, and the
Hon-do, or Oratory, and many cultural properties are owned by the
temple, such as the wooden sculpture of Senju-kan'non, or thousand
armed Goddess of Mercy (Avaloketeshvara), a national treasure; Nikko
and Gakko Bosatsu, or Boddhisatva of Sunlight and Moonlight; two
Bishamonten or Vaishravana; Shi-ten'no (the four Devas) and two
volumes of Dojo-ji-engi, a scroll picture in the 14th century.
Getting there
From Tokyo Station, 2 hours 30 minutes by JR Tokaido Shinkansen
Line to Shin-Osaka Station. From Shin-Osaka Station, 1 hour and 38
minutes by JR Hanwa-kisei- Line Express Train to Dojo-ji Station.
Take bus to Hinomisaki, 40 minutes.
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Katsuura
Kino-matsushima dotted with 130 islets - Whale and dolphin watching
Nachi-Katsuura-machi Town located in the southeast of Wakayama
faces the Katsuura Bay on the southern coast of the Kii-hanto
Peninsula. It has developed as a pilgrims' inn town for the
worshipers of Kumano-Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine. Today it is a base
for fishery that boasts one of the largest hauls of fresh tunas. The
town has numerous eating houses where you can enjoy fresh gift from
the sea to your heart's content.
There is Kino-matsushima studded with some 130 islets in the
Katsuura Bay. The inlets and rocks have unique names such as Camel
Rock, Lion Islet and Tsuru or Crane Islet. You can cruise among the
islets by pleasure boat.
Hot springs are abundant in Katsuura. It is a representative hot
spring site of Wakayama, rivaling with Shirahama. There are numerous
hot springs, including the Boki-do Hot Spring inside a natural cave
formed by waves and winds, Rakuda-no-yu or camel hot spring and
Kishu Chomon-no-yu, a hot spring you bathe in while listening to the
sound of the tide. Those hot springs are open to public in daytime
as well. A boat for the Southern Kishu Maritime Experience Cruise
starts from Ugui Port located between Katsuura and Shingu to enjoy
watching whales or dolphins. The boat operates from late April to
late September. You may see a sperm whale during five months from
spring to autumn, and dolphins throughout the year.
Getting there
Take JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line for 1 hour and 36 minutes from
Tokyo Station to Nagoya Station, then take JR Kansai and Kise Line
for 3 hours and 20 minutes from Nagoya Station to Kii-Katsuura
Station. From Osaka, take JR Hanwa and Kise Line for 3 hours and 40
minutes from Shin-Osaka Station to Kii-Katsuura Station.
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Kumano Hongu
The Head Shrine of Kumano-jinja Shrines, one of the Three Great
Kumano Shrines - Kumano-kodo, or the Old Kumano Path, the stone
paved path covered with green moss
Located in the southeast part of Wakayama and within
Kumano-Yoshino National Park, Kumano Hongu-Taisha Shrine is the Head
Temple of over 3,000 Kumano-jinja shrines in Japan and is one of the
Three Great Kumano Shrines, together with Kumano Hayatama-jinja
Shrine and Kumano Nachi-jinja Shrine. It was originally built in the
sandbar, O-yu-no-hara, at the junction of three rivers, the Kumano,
the Otonashi and the Iwata. However, the great flood at the end of
19th century washed it away and the shrine was reconstructed in the
present location.
Shin-mon, the main gate, Hai-den and Shin-den, shrines dedicated to
deities have the quietness of the past and remind us of the time
when this place was the center of worship of the Three Great Kumano
Shrines.
Kumano-mode, or the visit to Kumano, has been deeply rooted in
people's lives since the 14th century. So many people have visited
the shrine to pray that it was referred to as "The Visit of Ants".
The Old Kumano Path has many historical sites and stone monuments
and the stone paved road covered with green moss is now a popular
walking route. Two hot springs are well known in the Kumano Hongu
area. Kawayu-onsen Hot Spring is unique as a hole is dug in the dry
riverbed for hot water to fill naturally. Yunomine-onsen Hot Spring
is beautiful in the autumn foliage and has one of the largest
open-air hot springs.
Getting there
From Tokyo Station, 2 hours 30 minutes by JR Tokaido Shinkansen
Line to Shin-Osaka Station. From Shin-Osaka Station, 2 hours by JR
Hanwa-kisei Honsen Line Express Train to Shirahama Station. From
Shirahama Station, take a bus to Kumano Hongu Taisha, 1 hour 18
minutes.
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Kushimoto
Shiono-misaki, the southernmost cape and inlets of a saw-toothed
coastline - Azure sea where table coral grows
Southernmost part of Wakayama is Kushimoto and the southernmost
cape, Shiono-misaki. It is here that the warm current that flows
along the Japanese archipelago comes closest to Honshu (the mainland
of Japan), thus making this area a rich fishing ground. The sea
around this area is high in transparency and most of the coastline
has high cliffs, strangely shaped rocks and inlets typical of a
saw-toothed coastline, which are designated as part of
Kumano-Yoshino National Park.
In the azure ocean stretching westward from the base of cape
Shiono-misaki, table coral grow in colonies. Kushimoto Kaichu-koen
Park is the first sea park ever to be designated in Japan and over
300 kinds of creatures live in the sea around here. Visitors can
watch tropical fish swimming from the glass window of the
sea-observation area 140 meters from the shore, or from
semi-submarine style sightseeing boat. Fishing spots along the coast
are crowded with fishermen looking for a big catch.
Hot springs are abundant and visitors can take a bath to refresh
themselves in hotels and public baths run by the town. The
Kushimoto-matsuri Festival is held in July every year. People of
each group dress in the same style of yukata (an informal cotton
kimono) to compete in the design and also compete in the dance of
Kushimoto-bushi-so-odori.
Getting there
From Tokyo Station, 2 hours 30 minutes by JR Tokaido Shinkansen
Line to Shin-Osaka Station. From Shin-Osaka Station, 3 hours 5
minutes by JR Kii Honsen Line to Kushimoto Station. From Tokyo
Station to Nagoya Station, 1 hour 45 minutes by JR Tokaido
Shinkansen Line. From Nagoya Station, 3 hours 15 minutes by JR Kii
Honsen Line Express Train to Shingu Station, From Shingu Station to
Kushimoto Station, 55 minutes by JR Hanwa Line.
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Mt. Koya-san
The Head temple of Shingon-mikkyo, or 1,200-year-old Esoteric
Buddhism, The Dai-mon Gate, 25 meters high, serves as the main
entrance
Mt. Koya-san is located in the northeastern part of Wakayama and
is in Koya-Ryujin Quasi-National Park. On the peak of Mt. Koya-san,
surrounded by mountains, is Kongobu-ji Temple, founded by Kobo
Taishi, the Head Temple of Esoteric Buddhism, which has a
1200-year-long history. More that 120 temples are scattered
throughout the area, thus forming a great religious city.
A number of structures exist in the mountain. For instance, the
25-meter-high Dai-mon Gate, Important Cultural Property, that has
served as the main entrance to the temple ever since its founding
day, or the temple structure complex, National Treasure, and the
Danjo-garan complex. Koyazan-Reiho-kan Treasure House exhibits the
tremendous cultural properties of Mt. Koya-san. Lodging facilities
are provided by the temple for the followers, available also for
visitors. The meal served is Shojin-ryori, special vegetarian food
using only vegetables, cereals and seaweed and avoiding meat and
fish. Some of the temples offer chances to experience zazen, a kind
of Zen Buddhist training.
Getting there
From Tokyo Station, 2 hours 30 minutes by JR Tokaido Shinkansen
Line to Shin-Osaka Station. From Shin-Osaka Station, take subway to
Nanba Station, 15 minutes. From Namba Station, 1 hour 45 minutes by
Nankai Tetsudo Line Express to Gokuraku-bashi Station. From
Gokuraku-bashi, take Koya-san Cable to Koya-san, 5 minutes.
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Mt. Nachi-san
Nachi primeval forest, a place of asceticism for devoted mountain
god worshipers, and 133-meter-high Nachi-no-taki Falls
Mt. Nachi-san, a generic name for the mountains surrounding
Kumano-Nachi Taisha Shrine located upstream of the Nachi-gawa River
in the southeast of Wakayama, is part of Yoshino-Kumano National
Park. Its whole neighborhood is a timberland called Nachi primeval
forest and has been revered as a place of asceticism for mountain
god worshipers.
In the Mt. Nachi-san area is the Kumano-Nachi Taisha Shrine having
five Shinto buildings called "Kumano-Gongen" (avatar of Kumano)
structure, which are important cultural properties of Japan and are
the architectural style of the 8th through 10th century. Other
places worth a visit include the Seiganto-ji Temple with a vermilion
three-storied pagoda, a Mt. Nachi-san's symbol, and the Hiryu-jinja
Shrine, the holy to worship the Nachi-no-taki Falls, also known as "Ichi-no-taki",
as what symbolizes the divine spirit. The three-storied pagoda of
the Seiganto-ji Temple was reconstructed in 1972, and its view spot
affords a full view of the Nachi-no-taki Falls.
Every summer, the Kumano-Nachi Taisha annual grand festival is
staged. Known as "Fire Festival of Nachi (Nachi-no-himatsuri) ", it
climaxes in the "purification of Ogi-mikoshi" that takes place at
the stairways of Hiryu-jinja Shrine, where twelve units of
Ogi-mikoshi (1-meter-wide and 6-meter-long portable shrine decorated
with fans) are "burned" by way of purification with the sparks from
twelve giant torches weighing 50 kilograms that the bearers swing
around as they go up and down the stone stairs.
Getting there
An hour and 40 minutes to Nagoya Station from Tokyo Station by
JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line. Three hours and 20 minutes from Nagoya
Station to Kii-Katsuura Station by JR Kisei Honsen Line. Three hours
and 30 minutes to Kii-Katsuura Station from Shin-Osaka by JR Kisei
Honsen Line. Thirty minutes to Daimon-zaka from Kii-Katsuura Station
by Kumano Kotsu bus.
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Nanki Shirahama
A large spot of leisure facing the Pacific Ocean with wall-like
bluffs and tiered Senjo-jiki (thousand "tatami" matted rock)
Nanki, a generic name for the entire southwestern part of
Wakayama, is a large spot of leisure containing various amusement
facilities, beaches and places where you can enjoy marine sports,
golfing and tennis. Shirahama-cho, a center town of Nanki, is a
typical hot-spring resort facing the Pacific Ocean in the Kii-hanto
Peninsula and is known as one of Japan's three largest spas together
with Beppu in Oita and Atami in Shizuoka.
Collectively called the Shirahama-onsen Hot Springs comprises the
Yuzaki-onsen Hot Spring, long known for open-air bathing in manually
hollowed rock tubs and other hot springs at Shirahama opened early
in the 20th century, Higashi-Shirahama, Tsunashirazu and others.
In and around Shirahama are many places of natural beauty visited by
a large number of tourists throughout the year, such as Engetsu-jima
Island, an uninhabited rock isle with a round sea cave open in the
middle of it, and Sandan-beki (three-tiered wall) with 50 to
60-meter-high precipitous rock walls extending about 2 kilometers
from south to north. Another must-see is Senjo-jiki, a huge
multi-tiered rock that looks like a thousand "tatami" matted (senjo-jiki)
floor created by the erosion of soft sandstone by raging waves.
Getting there
An hour and 5 minutes to Nanki-Shirahama Airport from Tokyo
Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Twenty-five minutes from Nanki-Shirahama
Airport to Shirahama Station by bus. Two hours and 30 minutes to
Shin-Osaka Station from Tokyo Station by JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line.
Two hours and 15 minutes from Shin-Osaka Station to Shirahama
Station by JR Kisei Honsen Line.
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Wakayama City
The castle tower of Wakayama Castle commands a view of the whole
city - Small inlets and islands in the sea create the beauty of
Waka-no-ura
Wakayama City is the prefectural center of politics, economy and
culture, located on the Wakayama Plain at the mouth of Kino-kawa
River. In the latter half of the 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
the man who conquered this plain, decided to build Wakayama Castle
on Mt. Fukko. It was later reorganized by Tokugawa Yorinobu, the
10th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, as a castle town in the early 17th
century. Reconstruction of Tenshu-kaku, or the castle tower, took
place after the Second World War and Oni-gawara, or decorative
tiles, and armors of that time are on display in the Exhibition
Room. An observation deck provides a view of the city.
Waka-no-ura in the southern part of the city is a scenic spot that
appears in poetry from ancient times. The road runs in the middle of
cliffs following the naturally winding feature of this place, which
makes every turn on the cape exciting to see the different views.
Houses around the inlets are clustered in tiers and are beautifully
in keeping with the small islands in the sea.
Kimii-dera Temple located at the middle of Mt. Nagusa-yama is a
famous spot for early cherry blossoms. Stone steps lead to the Main
Gate and then to Shoro, or the Belfry, Taishi-do and Hon-do, or the
Oratory, overlook Waka-no-ura.
"Wakayama Marine City Porto Europe" was built in the image of a
harbor town in Europe. It is a popular place for dining, and so is a
ride called waterslider in the amusement park.
Getting there
From Tokyo Station, 2 hours 30 minutes by JR Tokaido Shinkansen
Line to Shin-Osaka Station. From Shin-Osaka Station to Wakayama
Station, 1 hour by JR Hanwa Line Limited Express.
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Information
provided by Japan National Tourist Organization.
