Wakayama Hidden Gems
8 spots
Yuasa Soy Sauce Town — Birthplace of Shoyu
Yuasa (湯浅) is a small coastal town credited as the birthplace of Japanese soy sauce (shoyu, 醤油), where Buddhist monks in…
Okunoin Cemetery Night Walk — 200,000 Lantern-Lit Tombs
Okunoin (奥之院) is a 2-kilometer path through 200,000 moss-covered tombstones and memorial monuments beneath towering 500-…
Shojin Ryori — Buddhist Vegetarian Temple Cuisine
Shojin ryori (精進料理, devotional cuisine) is Buddhist vegetarian cooking developed by monks over centuries as a meditative…
Kongobu-ji Temple — Shingon Buddhism Headquarters
Kongobu-ji (金剛峯寺) is the head temple of Shingon Buddhism and the administrative center of Koyasan's 117 temples, founded…
Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trails — UNESCO Sacred Walking Routes
The Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) is a network of ancient pilgrimage routes crossing the Kii Peninsula mountains, connecting Kyoto…
Koyasan Temple Town — Sacred Mountain & Temple Stays
Koyasan (高野山, Mt. Koya) is a sacred mountain plateau at 900m elevation, home to 117 temples and the headquarters of Shin…
Wakayama Castle — Tiger's Den Fortress & Ninja House
Wakayama Castle (和歌山城) is a hilltop fortress built in 1585 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's brother, later ruled by the powerful…
Kumano Nachi Taisha Fire Festival — 1,400-Year-Old Torch Ritual
The Nachi-no-Hi Matsuri (那智の火祭り, Nachi Fire Festival), held annually on July 14th, is one of Japan's three great fire fe…