Wakayama Prefecture occupies most of the Kii Peninsula south of Osaka, home to Koyasan, a UNESCO World Heritage monastery town founded by the monk Kukai in 816 CE, and the Kumano Kodo, a network of ancient pilgrimage trails linking three grand shrines deep in the mountains. Beyond its sacred sites, Wakayama offers the white-sand resort town of Shirahama, the panda-breeding Adventure World park, and Honshu's southernmost point at Cape Shionomisaki, making it a destination that blends centuries of pilgrimage culture with coastal hot springs and outdoor scenery.
Luxury hotels
Five-star and palace properties.
Hotel Kawakyu
Oceanfront luxury ryokan-style hotel in Shirahama Onsen with multiple natural hot spring baths, ocean-view rooms, and kaiseki dining spread across several in-house restaurants and a full-service spa.
Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima
Secluded luxury ryokan occupying its own small island in Katsuura Bay, reached by a free five-minute private ferry, with ocean-facing rooms and hot spring baths overlooking Nachi Bay.
Hotel Urashima
Large onsen resort in Katsuura reached by the hotel's own shuttle boat, famed for the Bokido cave bath, a natural sea cave hot spring facing the open Pacific Ocean.
Fine dining
Michelin-starred and chef-driven restaurants.
Kaiseki Dinner at Hotel Kawakyu
A multi-course kaiseki dinner served at Hotel Kawakyu in Shirahama Onsen, built around fresh Kii Peninsula seafood, seasonal vegetables, and Kishu-region specialties such as Kumano beef.
Shojin Ryori at Ekoin Temple
A formal vegan shojin ryori course served at Ekoin Temple in Koyasan, prepared according to centuries-old Buddhist monastic cooking traditions using seasonal mountain vegetables, tofu, and sesame.