Last reviewed: · Prices are approximate and for orientation only.
Overview of Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県)
Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県) is located in the Kansai region of Japan, with its prefectural capital at Wakayama. Key sights and travel highlights across the prefecture include Sacred mountain monastery of Koyasan (Okunoin Cemetery), UNESCO Kumano Kodo pilgrimage shrines (Kumano Nachi Taisha & Nachi Falls, Hongu Taisha), Wakayama Castle, and Shirahama Onsen.
How to get to Wakayama Prefecture
1h from Osaka Namba to Wakayama (or 1h 40m to Koyasan via Nankai Railway + cable car); JR Kuroshio Limited Express from Shin-Osaka/Tennoji down the coast to Shirahama and Nachi-Katsuura. Use our Shinkansen Fare & Route Calculator and JR Pass Value Helper to compare rail tickets and regional passes.
Signature local food in Wakayama
When visiting cities across Wakayama, look out for these regional specialties at station restaurants, markets, and local izakaya:
- Wakayama pork-bone soy ramen (Chuka-soba)
- Koyasan shojin ryori (Buddhist temple vegetarian cuisine)
- Katsuura fresh Pacific bluefin tuna
- Nanko-ume plums & Arida mikan oranges
- Mehari-zushi (mustard-leaf rice balls)
Best time to visit Wakayama
Spring and autumn for hiking the UNESCO Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails and staying at Koyasan temple lodgings (shukubo); summer for Shirahama white-sand beach.
All 10 cities & municipalities in Wakayama Prefecture
Click any city below for its individual travel guide, demographics, rail access, food specialties, and nearby stops:
| City (Kanji) | Type / Status | Population | Area | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakayama 和歌山市 | Core city | 372,175 | 209.23 km² | City guide → |
| Kainan 海南市 | City | 55,877 | 101.18 km² | City guide → |
| Tanabe 田辺市 | City | 80,478 | 1,026.77 km² | City guide → |
| Gobō 御坊市 | City | 26,335 | 43.93 km² | City guide → |
| Arida 有田市 | City | 31,194 | 36.92 km² | City guide → |
| Shingū 新宮市 | City | 32,654 | 255.43 km² | City guide → |
| Kinokawa 紀の川市 | City | 67,192 | 228.24 km² | City guide → |
| Hashimoto 橋本市 | City | 67,505 | 130.31 km² | City guide → |
| Iwade 岩出市 | City | 51,843 | 38.50 km² | City guide → |
| Koyasan 高野町 | Sacred temple town | 2,786 | 137.03 km² | City guide → |