Wakayama和歌山県

A sacred ground for mountain worship. Thick green forests, deep blue ocean waters and a varied coastline.

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 Shrine in Mt. Nachi-san, the Sasuta-Hiko-jinja Shrine that worships the Nachi-no-Otaki 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. Walking the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route is a fantastic way to experience Wakayama's spiritual countryside. 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.