Most people end their trip to Japan in a large city like Osaka or Tokyo, but not us. We like to find places that are popular with locals but not yet on the radar of international tourists. Wakayama City and the Wakayama coast fit that criteria, and our three days of exploring this region were some of the most fun-filled experiences we had during our time in Japan.
If you missed our previous posts about Exploring Kyoto and Food and Friendship on the Kumano Kodo, you may want to read those first.
Exploring Kii-Katsuura
Our walking tour of Kumano Kodo ended in Kii-Katsuura, a fishing town on the southeast coast of Wakayama prefecture. There’s not much to do in this fishing town, other than enjoy the wonderful onsen hotels with views of the ocean. But for curious souls who love to walk, it’s a fun place to explore for an hour or two.
Our first day of exploring began with me sipping morning coffee and watching the fishermen fillet tuna outside our hotel window. The efficiency and speed they exhibited was impressive, especially as they wrapped the tuna in paper and proceeded to clean the boat until it was spotless. All completed before I’d finished even half a cup of coffee.
After breakfast, we had about one hour before our train departed for Wakayama City, and we spent that time walking around the coastline. Other than fishermen, we saw few people. It was a brisk walk, with the smell of saltwater and sea birds calling from above. Like most port towns, the buildings are roughed up by harsh weather, adding to their appeal in my opinion.
On our way to the train station we stopped for quick shopping and roasted sweet potatoes. The transit/visitor center had a public foot bath where people soak their tired feet while waiting for the bus or train.
While munching on our roasted sweet potatoes, we watched a Mt. Sobek tour guide distribute packed lunches to her group of Americans. The group hailed from Colorado and Michigan, here to run in a Tokyo marathon and hike the Kumano Kodo. Their guided luxury hotel Kumano experience was completely different from our self-guided tour staying in small traditional inns. Just as our experience was different from the backpackers who thru-hike the entire route.
Which is why I always say “travel is personal.” How you experience a destination and what you get out of travel — that’s entirely up to you. We can all choose the same destination and experience it in completely different ways. While I was looking at the Mt. Sobek group thinking how sad for them to not enjoy searching for street food on their own, they were probably looking at us thinking “that poor couple, settling for potatoes.”
Riding the Train to Wakayama City
We loved the train to Wakayama City, with its uninterrupted coastline and sleepy little fishing villages. Kushimoto looked intriguing and I was sad that we didn’t get to explore Wakayama’s most southern town. The train ride was especially pretty near Iwashiro, which had the scariest looking station but the railroad felt like it was on the ocean.
INSIDER TIP: If traveling from Kii-Katsuura to Osaka, stop a night in Kushimoto to stay at Nipponia Hotel. For those seeking authentic culinary experiences in off-the-beaten-path locations, this is it!
Walking out of the train station in Wakayama City, it was quickly apparent that this was a business town full of locals and few (if any) international tourists. It’s closer to Kansai International Airport than Osaka, but most tourists choose to stay in Osaka. Their loss, because Wakayama City was delightful!
We arrived at Dormy Inn Premium Wakayama, where we spent 3 nights. I was happy to see our luggage waiting for us at the hotel, not a scratch or speck of dirt on them. I probably forgot to mention that during our 5-day Kumano Kodo tour, we only carried a small daypack with 1 change of clothing. Per guidance of Oku Japan, we left our luggage at the Kyoto hotel and used Japan’s excellent system of takuhaibin (takkyubin) which transports luggage all over the country. Hotel staff made it easy, all we had to do was show them the word takuhaibin and they took care of the paperwork.
Dormy Inn was an interesting place to end our trip. Aside from one other couple that looked like they were here on business, we were the only westerners. It was the first time I felt truly intimidated in the onsen, because all of the women here looked like pros. Each had her own routine and one looked like she was prepared for a marathon with a large water bottle that she would continually go back for to cool off and hydrate.
It was also the most luxurious onsen I visited. While showers were still exposed, there was a wall between each showering area, so I had a little more privacy and didn’t have to worry about spraying my neighbor with soapy water. The vanity area had higher end products and a fancy hair dryer that automatically changed heat according to how dry your hair was. The laundry machines were a different story. I ended up washing our clothes in the sink because I felt sure the 1950s era washer/dryer would eat my clothes.
Breakfast at Dormy Inn was excellent and creative. They offered a good selection of small bowl dishes, making it fun to try new things. The only yuck moment I had was when I bit into the baby squid and my mouth rejected the hard tiny eyeball and squishy tentacles. He discreetly made his way into a napkin. Our favorite, however, was free ramen night at 9pm, in which a room full of adults dressed in hotel pajamas scramble to grab a table. I felt like I was in college again.
Day 2 in Wakayama City was planned by Eric, the master at killing time and finding odd-ball places to visit. I should have known it would be interesting when our day began with an earthquake waking us ups. We spent 2 hours in Don Quixote, a 4-story discount shop that I cannot compare to any other store I’ve ever visited. They had everything you could possibly imagine and then things that you might not even be able to imagine. Like dried octopus on a stick, or Eric’s favorite — boob towels! Don Quixote is a chain that you’ll find in other Japanese cities, and yes, it’s named for Cervantes.
Next, we headed to the GENKI video game shop, where Eric and I discovered how very little we know about gaming. Definitely a fan shop, they had tables in the back for card game tournaments and display cabinets showing consoles older than us! We hit jackpot with a shopping list from my brother Matthew.
At this point we were hungry. The smell of grilled okonomiyaki wafted our way as we watched several people walk into Watashi no Teppan. So we followed. Completely different than what we had our first night in Kyoto, this was more like a traditional pancake — mine with cabbage and pork, Eric’s with seafood. We chose the dough version instead of the soba noodle version, which is what we had in Kyoto. A group of older women dressed in kimonos walked in shortly after us and were escorted into a more private area in the back with traditional Japanese seating.
Hunger satisfied, we walked to Wakayama Castle and Momijidani Garden. It only takes about an hour to walk the entire grounds and the best entrance is through the Ote-mon Gate, crossing over the moat surrounding the castle grounds.
We were there on a Saturday and there were families with young children, an elderly couple doing exercises, a group of young women having a picnic. We quickly walked through the zoo, which I only have two things to say about: it’s free and I wouldn’t want to be an animal in that zoo.
Like so many other castles in Japan, Wakayama Castle was rebuilt after WWII. America bombed it close to the end of the war. We visited a war memorial while we were there, and it struck me once again how resilient the Japanese people are. They survived unspeakable atrocities (and yes, I know Japan committed their own atrocities…that’s the history of humankind), but not only have they survived and thrived, they have welcomed the very people who bombed them.
Forgiven but not forgotten, Japan as a whole is a good example to the world of how to move on from tragedy while still honoring the memory of those who suffered.
Near the castle, we stumbled across an open field full of motorcycles surrounded by people selling used goods. The first chap we met was an Australian who chatted with us and gave us two free sake cups. He said they were over 100 yrs old and since I don’t really care to check for authenticity, I will take him at his word. Others were selling clothing and one guy was selling motorcycle parts. The attention grabber, however, was the crazy assortment of motorcycles.
Another surprise was a covered bridge, which had a sign instructing us to remove our shoes before walking through it. Each plank was staggered so it wasn’t flat, making this the most unique covered bridge I’ve ever seen. Frank Thompson would have LOVED this bridge.
Eric celebrated his birthday that day in Wakayama. It was a bittersweet morning, knowing he would not wake up at 6am with a text from his mom at the exact time of his birth. Instead, he awoke to a sweet video from my sister’s daughter Ada, singing happy birthday. His mom would be happy to know someone was carrying on her tradition.
I have a confession. It wasn’t just the local vibe and cool castle that enticed us to Wakayama City. It was a mysterious island, full of history and abandoned military bunkers. Find out what it’s like to spend a day hiking Tomogashima Island.
