Densely forested, steep mountains cover like a green carpet wide parts of the Kii-Peninsula. Countless creeks and abundant rivers crisscross the land and impressive waterfalls command attention. Surrounded by the currents of the Pacific Ocean, there are many beautiful beaches and spectacular coastal scenery at the peninsula’ shores.
The Kii Peninsula is well-known as one of Japan’s spiritual centers and it has attracted pilgrims and seekers for centuries. There are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the peninsula which are considered to be “power spots”: the Buddhist monastery on Mount Koya, the three sacred Shinto shrines in Kumano and the temples of Yoshino and Mount Omine that are places of worship for followers of Shugendo, an ancient tradition of ascetic training and nature worship.
Kii Hanto, how the Kii-Peninsula is called in Japanese, sticks out of Honshu Island and marks its southernmost part. Wakayama Prefecture occupies the southwestern part of the peninsula and borders on Mie Prefecture in the northeastern part and on landlocked Nara Prefecture to the north.
Being part of the Kansai area means that Wakayama Prefecture is within easy reach of the urban conglomerates of Osaka and Kyoto. Catch the “Ocean Arrow/Super Kuroshio” train from either of these cities and it will take you to Wakayama along the Western coast of the peninsula. If you travel from Tokyo, then catch the “Wide View Nanki” train in Nagoya and travel down to Wakayama along the Eastern coast of the peninsula.
These train journeys to Wakayama are sightseeing trip in their own right as for the most part of the journey you will have the sea right by the window on your one side and the mountains right by the other.
Kii-Tanabe in Wakayama Prefecture is famous for being the birthplace of the Japanese martial art of Aikido while Taiji is infamous for its whaling culture.
There are many small fisher villages along the coast and the fishing industry is driving, bringing the freshest delicacies from the sea on our plates. Tuna fishing, in particular, has a long-standing tradition in Kii-Katsuura where an early morning tuna auction takes place, like the one in Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market. Depending on the season you will find different types of tuna, including Bluefin Tuna, Big Eye Tuna and Yellow-fin Tuna.
While the areas around Wakayama City, the prefecture’s capital, and along the Western side of the peninsula until Kii-Tanabe look urban-industrial, the remaining land features a rural-agricultural landscape.
Mild temperatures- even in winter there are no minus degrees and hardly any snow in the southern parts - are ideal for growing fruits and Wakayama is known for its tasty tangerines. The area’s umeboshi (pickled sour plums) are a delicacy and they are popular throughout Japan and as gift items.
Centuries-old pilgrimage trails lead to the Kumano Sanzan, the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano-Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha in Kumano in the southern part of Wakayama Prefecture. These pilgrimage trails connect the Kumano Sanzan with the Buddhist monastery on Mount Koya in the north of Wakayama Prefecture, with the temples in the Yoshino and Omine area in Nara Prefecture and with the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture. Centuries ago, pilgrims came from the then Imperial capital in Kyoto all the way on foot or on horse to worship the three deities of Kumano. Most of these trails are still intact but nowadays only few pilgrims walk.
These mountains paths have become popular with hikers and nature lovers who enjoy walking parts of the trails, staying overnight at minshuku (Japanese traditional pensions) and bathing in one of the many onsen (hot springs) in the area.
Near the Hongu Taisha, for example, the final destination for all pilgrims and for many hikers, there are three popular hot springs in small mountain villages: Kawa-no-yu, Wataze and Yunomine.
Tsuboyu in Yunomine is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range”; it is the only hot spring in the world inscribed as a world heritage site.
Kawa-no-yu, literally “river hot spring”, is an extravagant experience in winter. The hot spring wells there are located in the river bed and small pools with hot water are formed in the middle of the river where bathers enjoy a soak while admiring the winter landscape.
Kii-Katsuura and Shirahama are well-known hot spring resorts at the coast featuring large hotels and ryokan (Japanese-style hotels). Totsukawa Onsen and Ryujin Onsen are two hot spring areas in the Kumano mountains.
With a population of just over one million, Wakayama Prefecture ranks amongst the least populated prefectures in Japan. Wide areas in the mountains are not inhabited by humans, and many once existing villages and rice terraces were abandoned many years ago. This is ideal for the development of a rich wildlife. Hikers might see wild monkey, deer and badgers, and hopefully only the rear end of a boar or bear in the more remote parts of the mountains.
Wakayama Prefecture is perfect for outdoors activities and it is possible to go hiking in the mountains in the morning and swimming in the sea in the afternoon.
The prefecture’s rivers and waterfalls are a source of special adventures, like kayaking on Kumano River, river rafting in Doro Gorge or “kawa asobi”, ie enjoying play in the clear waters of some mountain river such as swimming and snorkeling.
If you prefer the sea to the rivers, then you may enjoy swimming in the ocean, surfing, diving, swimming with dolphins at some of Wakayama Prefecture’s dolphin resorts or whale watching of the coast (between April and October only).
For an extraordinary experience in the religious sphere, I would strongly recommend a visit to the Buddhist monastery on Mount Koya. There are over one hundred temples and Japan’s largest graveyard set in a forest of old cedar trees. The mausoleum of Japanese Saint Kobo Daishi, founder of the Shingon branch of Buddhism, is here and those who want to attempt the 88-temple pilgrimage around Japan’s Shikoku Island need to come here at the beginning and the end of their journey to pay respect to the saint.
If you stay overnight at one of the shukubo (temple lodgings), you will have a chance to participant in the monk’s morning ceremony and catch a glimpse of the esoteric nature of Shingon which unlike Zen, is comparable to Tibetan Buddhism. Meals at the shukubo are shojin ryori, a special vegetarian cuisine eaten by monks.
There is so much to see and do in Wakayama Prefecture; it is well worth a journey at all times of the year. If you more time than just one day or a weekend, then you will be able to discover many facets of Japan that you have not seen before.
