Exploring the charms of Wakayama City, a castle town interwoven with history and nature

• Table of Contents
• What is Wakayama City?
• 1. Enjoy the seasonal scenery at Wakayama Castle
• 2. Take the auspicious train to Kada
• 3. Wakanoura: A place mentioned in poems
• Take a relaxing trip to Wakayama City, a treasure trove of history and nature

What is Wakayama City?

Wakayama City is the capital of Wakayama Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture on the main island of Japan, and a castle town located in the southern part of the Kansai region. It is an attractive city that combines beautiful nature with rich history and culture, and is visited by many tourists.

Map-It Map-It (c)

During the Edo period, Wakayama City flourished as a castle town of the Kishu Domain, which was ruled by the Kishu Tokugawa family, one of the three main branches of the Tokugawa clan. As can be seen on the map, Wakayama City occupies only about 4% of the area of Wakayama Prefecture, but is the primate city, home to about 40% of the prefecture's population, and is designated as a core city.

Below we will introduce some attractive spots in Wakayama City.

1. Enjoy the seasonal scenery at Wakayama Castle

Wakayama Castle is one of the 100 famous castles in Japan, located in Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture, and was the castle of the Kishu Domain, one of the three main branches of the Tokugawa clan during the Edo period.

Since its construction in 1585, the castle played an important role as the political and cultural center of Wakayama throughout the Edo period.

From the castle tower of Wakayama Castle, you can get a panoramic view of Wakayama city, and on a clear day you can see all the way to Awaji Island and Shikoku.

The castle grounds also contain a beautiful Japanese garden and the Wakayama Castle History Museum, allowing you to experience history in many places.

In spring, the cherry blossoms bloom in full glory, attracting many tourists. The Japanese garden, Momijidani Garden, is lit up at night, creating a fantastic atmosphere.
Wakayama Castle is loved by many people not only for its historical value, but also as a tourist spot where you can enjoy beautiful scenery throughout the four seasons.

Wakayama Castle is located in the center of Wakayama City, about a 15-minute walk from Wakayamashi Station on the Nankai Electric Railway. In addition, if you are visiting by car, there are parking lots around the castle, making it easily accessible.

This is a famous spot where you can enjoy history, culture, and nature, so be sure to visit!

2. Take the auspicious train to Kada

Kada is an old fishing town located in the northwest of Wakayama City, a charming area where nature and history blend together. Surrounded by tranquil seas and lush mountains, the area is a place of relaxation for locals and tourists, where you can enjoy rich nature, historical sites, and fresh seafood.

Kada Beach

Kada Coast is a relaxing place with calm waters and beautiful sandy beaches. It is part of the Setonaikai National Park, and its attractions include swimming and fishing.

Tomogashima Island

Additionally, Tomogashima, which can be reached by boat from Kada Port, is known as the site of a former military fortress and is now attracting attention as the setting for the TV anime "Summertime Render."

There are walking trails on the island, so you can enjoy hiking while taking in the natural scenery.

Seafood

Kada is rich in fresh seafood, and is especially known as a famous producer of sea bream.

You can enjoy gourmet food that can only be tasted here, such as "Taimeshi" (sea bream rice) and "Tai shabu-shabu" (sea bream shabu-shabu), made with fresh sea bream just caught by local fishermen.

Happy train

Nankai Electric Railway's "Medetai Densha," a unique tourist train named after the Kada sea bream, is attracting the attention of tourists.

The "Medetai Densha" is a tourist train that runs on the Nankai Electric Railway Kada Line, and its design is based on the motif of the "tai" sea bream, the symbol of Kada. The exterior of the train is decorated in vibrant colors such as pink, red, and blue, and is characterized by its appearance as if a lively sea bream is swimming.

The carriages are decorated with cute illustrations of sea bream, and the interior has a warm design that incorporates a Japanese taste, making you feel happy just by riding on the train. This train is very popular with families.

Let's get on the auspicious train and enjoy the natural scenery and seafood of Kada together! I'm excited to see which train I'll see today!

3. Wakanoura: A place mentioned in poems

Wakanoura is a scenic spot located in the southwest of Wakayama City, with beautiful sea and abundant nature. It is famous for its scenic beauty and is featured in the Japanese classical literature "Manyoshu" and "Kokin Wakashu".

During the Nara period, the Man'yo poet Yamabe no Akahito wrote a poem praising the scenery of this place. Furthermore, a poet from the Heian period included this poem in the Kokin Wakashū, the sacred text of waka poetry, which shows that this area was revered as a sacred place for waka poetry and was widely known since ancient times.

Wakaura Tenmangu Shrine

It is one of Wakanoura's most famous tourist spots.

The shrine enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning, and is visited by many worshippers during exam season. The shrine building was built in the Edo period and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. From the grounds, you can get a panoramic view of the sea of Wakanoura, which is beautiful throughout the four seasons.

Take a relaxing trip to Wakayama City, a treasure trove of history and nature

Wakayama City is about 40 minutes by train from Kansai Airport and about an hour by train from Osaka. There are many sights to see within the city, and you can enjoy sightseeing on foot or by bicycle. In addition, it is easily accessible to Mount Koya and the Kumano Kodo trails, making it an ideal base for sightseeing in the entire Wakayama prefecture.

In this article, we introduced some attractive spots in Wakayama City. Of course, these are not the only attractions in Wakayama City; there are many more things to see!

Next time you visit Kansai for a relaxing trip, be sure to visit Wakayama City!