Wakayama travel guide

Wakayama, Japan

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Wakayama

Introduction

Wakayama is the capital of Wakayama Prefecture, in Japan's Kansai region. The city covers a little over two hundred square kilometres, and its residents are spread across more than a hundred and fifty thousand households.

Before you go

Most visitors arrive at JR Wakayama Station, which is a 30-minute walk from Wakayama Castle, or a 5-minute ride on Wakayama bus Line 0. If you come in by the Kansai International Airport shuttle bus, you will be dropped on the east side of the station; an underground pedestrian walkway connects that side to the main west exit. Nankai Wakayama-shi Station is another arrival point, a 15-minute walk from the castle. Plan around the weather rather than against it: most travellers experience Wakayama during the worst weather of the year, in July and August. For money, there is an international ATM in the lobby of the central post office, on your right as you exit the east side of Wakayama station, and at JR Wakayama station Mio 1F. International ATMs with English menus are also available at 7-Eleven and Lawson convenience stores, which are open 24 hours and plentiful throughout the city. To change money, use the Wakayama central post office or a Kiyo bank branch. Note that the local tourist association's guide site is stubbornly Japanese-only.

Getting there

Wakayama is reached most easily by train from Osaka. The JR Hanwa Line and the private Nankai Main Line both run south from Osaka City. On JR, Limited Express trains leave Shin-Osaka hourly for JR Wakayama station, with the Kuroshio, Super Kuroshio or Ocean Arrow taking about an hour; from Tennoji the trip is roughly 45 minutes, and there are also several daily Limited Express departures from Kyoto. Regular Rapid trains (look for the Kisyuji Rapid) run every 20 minutes from major stations on the Osaka Loop Line, taking about 90 minutes from Osaka and an hour from Tennoji — check you are in the correct car, as part of the train splits off for Kansai International Airport. These JR trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

Nankai Railway serves two stations: Wakayamashi, slightly closer to the castle than JR Wakayama, and Wakayamako, next to the Nankai Ferry terminal for ships to Tokushima. The Nankai Limited Express Southern leaves Nankai Namba every 30 minutes for Wakayamashi in about an hour, with some trains continuing to Wakayamako; regular trains take longer and require a change en route. All Nankai trains stop at Shin-Imamiya on the JR Osaka Loop Line. Kansai International Airport connects to domestic destinations in Japan. Overnight buses run from Tokyo and Yokohama to JR Wakayama and Nankai Wakayamashi stations, and a Willer Express service links Shinjuku with JR Wakayama Station. Nankai ferry operates daily between Tokushima in Shikoku and Wakayama Port, with the Nankai Line connecting the port to Wakayamashi Station. By car, leave the Hanwa Expressway at exit 21 for Wakayama and head west on National Highway Route 24 to the centre of town.

Getting around

Wakayama's transport network is built around two stations, and knowing which one you need is the single most useful thing you can do. JR Wakayama Station sits on the west side of the city, while Nankai's Wakayamashi Station lies to the northwest and is marginally closer to the castle. The two are a short ride apart on the JR Kisei Line, and frequent buses also link them. The city centre and the reconstructed castle sit roughly between the two, so many of your practical journeys will begin or end at one of them. Within the city, JR West, Nankai Electric Railway and the Wakayama Electric Railway all operate. If you hold a Japan Rail Pass, JR services into Wakayama are covered; the Nankai line is not.

Wakayama Bus runs an extensive network linking both major stations to outlying areas, and for many attractions the bus is the practical choice. The two main termini are the west side of JR Wakayama Station and the south side of Nankai Wakayamashi Station, each divided into numbered bays with specific lines assigned to each. Several lines connect the two stations directly and pass the castle en route; others head to Wakanoura and Wakauraguchi, Wakayama Marina City, Wakayama University and the prefectural hall. Board from the back and take a numbered ticket if one is available, match your number to the fare chart, then put the exact amount in the fare box; a money changer is on board. Press the stop button as you approach your destination, and check the system number and destination on the front and side of the bus before boarding. A 1-day pass gives unlimited travel on all Wakayama Buses and can be bought at JR Wakayama or Wakayamashi stations, or online; fare cards and passes are also sold at ticket offices around the city, though hours vary and most close on Sundays or the second Saturday. If you are arriving from Osaka, the Wakayama Sightseeing Ticket bundles a round-trip ticket from Nankai Namba and other select central Osaka stations with unlimited rides on all Wakayama Buses, but it can only be purchased at Nankai Namba and other major Nankai main line stations in Osaka, not once you are in Wakayama.

Taxis operate in large numbers and are very easily found, with stands at hotels, train stations and the airport. Street taxis display 空車 (vacant) on the front sign, and you hail one by waving your hand; in some areas they are scarce, so arranging one through your hotel is worth considering. Most drivers speak only Japanese, so writing down your destination address and phone number is advisable. Fares are metered, the left rear door opens and closes automatically, and a taxi carries a maximum of four adult passengers. Credit cards are sometimes accepted, but cash is recommended, and tipping is not customary.

The city can be travelled on foot or by bicycle, though apart from the reconstructed castle most of the main attractions lie outside the centre, which makes a bicycle genuinely useful rather than a novelty. Shiromachi eco kanko rental cycle offers basic, electric-assist and sports-type bicycles by the day, with rental and drop-off points at several locations including Wakachika Hiroba by JR Wakayama Station, a business inn near Nankai Wakayamashi Station, Hanayama Onsen, Wakanoura Onsen Manpa and the Royal Pines Hotel; some sites, such as the Wakayama Castle tourist information office, are drop-off only.

For the airport, a shuttle bus runs from JR Wakayama Station to Kansai International Airport, with its stop at the JR Wakayama Station bus terminus. If you travel by rail instead, note that JR rapid trains from Osaka toward Wakayama split en route, with part of the train continuing to the airport, so be sure you are in the correct carriage. Children under twelve pay half the adult fare, and up to two infants or toddlers per adult travel free except with reserved seats or Green Car. Fares and schedules are subject to change, so confirm current prices and timetables before you travel.

Where to stay

Wakayama's sleeping options are mostly small, business-oriented hotels that aren't especially accustomed to foreign tourists, so don't expect much English-language hand-holding. The most visible place in the city is the Daiwa Roynet, a large tower near Wakayama Castle; in Burakuricho there's a newer business hotel, and the Granvia is the upmarket, pricier choice right by JR Wakayama Station. Most of the mid-range stock clusters in the city centre within a short walk of JR Wakayama Station or Nankai Wakayama-shi Station — names like the Fuji Hotels, Sun Hotel, Urban Hotel, Toyoko Inn, Tokyu Inn, Dormy Inn Premium and APA Hotel — with breakfast-inclusive plans common. A handful of budget guesthouses (Guest House Saika, Guesthouse RICO, Sana Inn Town, Guest house kukuru) offer the cheapest beds.

If you'd rather stay near the sights, the Kimii-dera and Wakanoura area southwest of the centre has a string of Japanese-style ryokan and onsen lodgings — Kimuraya, Shin-waka Lodge, Manpa Resort, Seichoen, Seaside Kancho, Shichiyouen and the Hana no Yu Garden Hotel Hayashi — many reachable by bus from the main stations and offering breakfast-and-dinner plans. Hanayama Onsen Yakushi no Yu, a taxi ride from JR Wakayama Station, is another Japanese-style option, and the Wakayama Marina City Hotel sits out towards Kainan.

Food & drink

Wakayama's signature dishes centre on the seafood landed along its coast. Kada, on the prefecture's shoreline, is one of Japan's three famous red sea bream areas, and the fish is served grilled, stewed in a hot pot, or as fresh sashimi. Look for tai meshi, red sea bream cooked with rice in an earthen pot so the grains soak up the bream stock, and sudume sushi, made with small red sea bream. Shirasu, young sardines caught in Wakaura Bay, are most plentiful in spring and fall, with the fall catch especially firm and succulent; try them as shirasu donburi, a young sardines bowl eaten with grated Japanese radish over rice. Red-legged shrimp from the Saikazaki and Tanoura fishing ports are in season from mid-October until May, at their sweetest from November to the end of January, and appear grilled, boiled, as sashimi, or fried as tempura.

For something quick and cheap, Wakayama ramen is the local standby, with shops such as Ide Shoten, Ramen Marui and its Junibancho branch, Ryuotei, Arochi Marutaka Chukasoba, Yamatame Shokudo, Kyobashi Kotaro and Marukyo Chukasoba. Budget bites include cream puffs, rice balls with fish paste, shirasu donburi, spicy orochon chanpon ramen, a pork yakibuta burger, and yokan, the jellied red bean dessert. Mid-range restaurants specialise in fresh fish and tai-meshi, among them Ginpei's several branches, Rokkon, Sakanaryouri Gin, Sakanaryouri Nakamura, Wakisho and Uogen. For Japanese cuisine, consider Aoi Saryo, Ganko Wakayama Rokusanen, Agura, Shikisai MIZUKI in front of Wakayama Castle, Shikinoaji Chihiro and Osakaya in Kada. French and Italian options range from Hotel de Yoshino to trattorias and pizzerias such as Trattoria i Bologna, Villa Aida, La Costa, Pizzeria Via Sette, Caro E Cara, Il Passo, Agata, Pizzeria Sobo, Il Teatoro and Karabina. For drinks, there are some atmospheric izakayas, and Arochi has the token seedy area with hostess bars and other expensive vices.

What to see and do

Wakayama rewards those who slow down and move between its distinct areas. Start inland with the three shrines: Hinokuma Jingu and Kunikakasu Jingu, a pair of ancient shrines known together as Nichizengu, sit a short walk from Nichizengu station. Kamayama Jinja, dedicated to Emperor Jimmu's elder brother Hikoitsusenomikoto, stands on the site where he is said to have been buried. Itakiso Jinja honours Itakeru no Mikoto, revered as a god of trees and, because of his role in saving Okuninushi, also prayed to for healing and protection from misfortune. Nearby, Kiifudoki no Oka preserves megalithic tombs of the Ki clan alongside a museum.

In the castle area, Wakayama Castle is the city's best-known sight — a partial reconstruction, quieter and less commercial than comparable castles elsewhere, with city views and small exhibits inside. Skip the zoo in its grounds. The adjoining Momijidani Teien garden is free to enter, and the Koshoan serves Japanese green tea and sweets. The prefectural museum and museum of modern art are here too, as is Eiunji, which holds the tomb of Masatake Fujibayashi, author of the ninja text Shōninki. Out in the Kada area, Awashima-jinja and Kada Kasuga-jinja are the local shrines, and the Tomogashima islands are said to resemble the floating castle of a well-known animated film. Along Wakanoura, Kimii-dera, Kishu Toshogu, Mt. Akiba, Furobashi bridge, Kankaikaku, Yosuien and Bandoko-Teien gardens, Tamatsushima-jinja and Wakanoura Tenmangu cluster around the bay. At Wakayama Marina City you can watch a tuna cutting show at Kuroshio Market, and pick fruit at Kinokuni Fruit Village.

For something more active, strawberry picking is a popular seasonal draw, and by car you can reach Europa City, a small amusement park built to serve Kansai airport that has struggled with its out-of-town location. The region is also onsen country: bathing options include Kada Awashima Onsen, Wakayama Kada Onsen, Nishihama Goten no Yu, Wakanoura Onsen, Fukuro no Yu in central Wakayama, Hanayama Onsen, Kimiidera Onsen and Kishu Kuroshio Onsen near the marina.

When to go

Wakayama's peak travel period coincides with its most difficult weather of the year. These are the months when most travelers visit, and they bring the worst conditions of the season.

If you want to avoid the crowds and the harshest weather, plan your trip outside that peak window. Expect the season's most challenging conditions during any visit that falls within it.

Three days in Wakayama

Day one: Arrive in Wakayama via Kansai International Airport, then continue by train to JR Wakayama Station or Nankai Wakayama Station. Settle in and get your bearings around the station area, where you can find ATMs that accept international cards, including at Lawson and Mio. In the afternoon, visit Wakayama Castle and its surrounding park, a central landmark that anchors the city.

Day two: Use Wakayama as a base for exploring Wakayama Prefecture. Plan around the seasons: July and August are hot and humid, so pace yourself and carry water. If you are heading to Kiyo, note that some services and information may be in Japanese only, so prepare accordingly.

Day three: Travel onward to Osaka City or Kyoto. From JR Wakayama Station, the JR Hanwa Line connects toward Osaka, while the Nankai Main Line offers another route. Limited Express trains such as Shin, Kuroshio, Super Kuroshio, and Ocean Arrow serve the wider Kansai region, with connections via Tennoji. If you are returning to Kansai International Airport, allow time for the journey from Wakayama.

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