Wakayama
Discover Wakayama
Wakayama (Japanese: 和歌山) is the capital of Wakayama prefecture, Japan. Having played an important part in the history of Japan, Wakayama has a unique culture with many important shrines. There is an international ATM in the lobby of the central post office, which is on your right as you exit the east side of Wakayama cattle, and 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 in plentiful quantities throughout the city.
What to Experience in Wakayama
Taste of Wakayama...
The Yakkinikku shop near JR station, Karibicho, is very good, and the family set meal is reasonably priced. There are three famous red sea bream area in Japan, Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture, Naruto in Tokushima Prefecture and Kada in Wakayama Prefecture. Kada red sea bream are each is delicious served grilled, stewed in a hot pot, and fresh sashimi. Famous cuisine in Wakayama is Tai Meshi and Sudume Sushi. Tai meshi is red sea bream on rice with an earthen pot. The rice is very delicious by bream soup stock. Sudume Sushi is small red sea bream sushi. Shirasu caught in Wakaura Bay. They are most plentful in the spring and fall. The fall catch is especially firm and succulent. Famous cuisine in Wakayama is Shirasu Donburi. Shirasu Donburi is Young sardines bowl. It is eaten with grated Japanese radish over rice. Red-legged shrimp are caught at the Saikazaki and Tanoura fishing ports from the middle of October until May. Fall is the best time of the year for AShiake-ebi shrimp. they taste especially sweet from November to the end of January. They are served grilled, boiled, fresh sashimi, and fried as tempura. Fresh fish in Wakayama and Tai-meshi. Tai-meshi is red sea Bream and rice. There are some atmospheric izakayas here but nothing special. Arochi has the token seedy area, which has a lot of hostess bars and other expensive vices. There are a few small hotels in Wakayama, none of which are really used to dealing with tourists.
Climate
Most travelers experience Wakayama during the worst weather of the year, in July and August. There is an international ATM in the lobby of the central post office, which is on your right as you exit the east side of Wakayama cattle, and 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 in plentiful quantities throughout the city. If you need to change money, Wakayama central post office and kiyo bank change money. Most visitors arrive at JR Wakayama Station, which is a 30-minute walk or get 5 minute on the Wakayama bus Line 0 from the Wakayama Castle. If you arrive by Kansai International Airport shuttle bus, you will be at the east side of the station. There is an underground pedestrian walkway leading to the main side of the station (west exit). Visitors arrive at Nankai Wakayama-shi Station, which is a 15-minute walk from the Wakayama Castle.
Essential Information
Best Time to Visit
Year Roundbest time of the year for AShiake-ebi shrimp....
Getting There
Multiple OptionsKansai International Airport (KIX) connects to domestic destinations in Japan. Wakayama can be accessed on the JR Hanwa Line and the private Nankai Main Line, both of which run south from Osaka City. JR Wakayama station can be reached by Limited Express trains from Shin-Osaka station, departing every hour. The Kuroshio, Super Kuroshio or Ocean Arrow run from Shin-Osaka to Wakayama in one hour at a cost of ¥2660. From Tennoji the run takes about 45 minutes (¥2280). There are also five daily Limited Express departures from Kyoto (90 minutes, ¥3660). From major stations on the Osaka Loop Line, regular Rapid trains run to Wakayama every 20 minutes: look for the Kisyuji Rapid (紀州路快速). It takes about 90 minutes from Osaka (¥1210) and one hour from Tennoji (¥830). Be sure that you are in the correct car, as part of the train splits off to Kansai International Airport. The above trains are free with the Japan Rail Pass....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Buses that run between the two train stations pass the castle. The maximum journey is ¥220 and takes ten minutes or so. Taxis also operate in large numbers, and are very easily found. Wakayama Bus (和歌山バス) is Bus lines in Wakayama. Bus lines run through Wakayama and out to the suburbs. Two bus terminus are JR Wakayama station west side and Nankai Wakayama-shi station south side. 1day pass price is ¥1000. Major bus lines are 3 lines, JR Wakayama station - Nankai Wakayama-shi station line, JR Wakayama station - Wakauraguchi line and Nankai Wakayama-shi - Wakauraguchi line. JR Wakayama station - Wakauraguchi (和歌浦口) line is line No. 25, 26 and 27. JR Wakayama station - Nankai Wakayama-shi station line is line No. 0, 40, 42, 44 and 52. Nankai Wakayama-shi - Wakauraguchi (和歌浦口) line is line No.13. Wakauraguchi (和歌浦口) start Wakanoura Area. By car, you can reach a small amusement park called Europa city, which is not very tourist-orientated or well advertised.
Where to Stay
There are a few small hotels in Wakayama, none of which are really used to dealing with tourists. The most easy to spot is the monstrous Daiwa Roynet, which towers above the city near Wakayama Castle. Nearby, in Burakuricho, there is a new business hotel, and there is the Granvia hotel, a rather exclusive and expensive hotel near JR station. Situated in the north of Wakayama City, there are 8 hotels in the vicinity of Tomogashima and Awashima-jinja Shrine. This area is suitable for those who seek fish cuisine or who wish to go fishing. Within 50 minutes by car from the station. Find free wireless hotspots across the city online at Wakayama Free Wifi. Perhaps one of the best features of Wakayama is that it is well connected, and provides good access to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and so on without being on top of them. Wakayama is a smaller city which seemingly makes little effort to embrace tourism, so is a good example of a "normal" Japanese place untouched by the demons of tourism.
Money & Budget
There is an international ATM in the lobby of the central post office, which is on your right as you exit the east side of Wakayama cattle, and 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 in plentiful quantities throughout the city. If you need to change money, Wakayama central post office and kiyo bank change money. Most visitors arrive at JR Wakayama Station, which is a 30-minute walk or get 5 minute on the Wakayama bus Line 0 from the Wakayama Castle. If you arrive by Kansai International Airport shuttle bus, you will be at the east side of the station. There is an underground pedestrian walkway leading to the main side of the station (west exit).
Safety Information
Glimpses of Wakayama
Nachiyama Pagoda on our last stop on the Nakahechi trail (Kumano Kodo), Wakayama
Wakayama castle
Torii at Kii Katsuura, Wakayama
a train car with a lot of windows and a long bench
a body of water with buildings and trees around it
Oyunohara, the former shrine of Oyunohara Shrine
The beautiful sea of Wakayama prefecture in Japan
a hill with trees and buildings on it
The beautiful sea of Wakayama prefecture in Japan
a body of water with trees around it
Nachiyama Pagoda on our last stop on the Nakahechi trail (Kumano Kodo), Wakayama
Wakayama castle
Torii at Kii Katsuura, Wakayama