Wakayama Prefecture · Japan
Where to stay in Wakayama
Wakayama is a city in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, home to about 353,000 people. This guide covers 1 hotel in Wakayama.
- Places to stay in this guide
- 1
- Nearest airport
- KIX23 km · Kansai International Airport
- Currency
- JPYyen
- Time zone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Language
- Japanese
About
About Wakayama
Wakayama is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. As of 1 December 2021, the city had an estimated population of 351,391 in 157,066 households and a population density of 1700 persons per km2.
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.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Wakayama
See
- Hinokuma Jingu / Kunikakasu Jingu
- Kamayama Jinja Shrine
- Itakiso Jinja Shrine
- Kiifudoki no Oka
- Wakayama Castle
- Momijidani Teien (Garden)
- The Koshoan
- Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Modern Art / Museum
- Eiunji
- Awashima-jinja (Shrine)
- Tomogashima islands
- Kada Kasuga-jinja (Shrine)
Do
By car, you can reach a small amusement park called Europa city, which is not very tourist-orientated or well advertised. It was built to capitalise on the Kansai airport, but has faced financial problems because of its somewhat awkward position out of town.
- Strawberry Picking
- Kada Awashima Onsen Osakaya Hiina no Yu
- Wakayama Kada Onsen Kada Kaigetsu
- Natural Onsen Nishihama Goten no Yu Yu-bath Wakayama Branch
- Natural Wakanoura Onsen Manpa Manyo no Yu
- Nagomi Nukumori Fukuro no Yu
- Hanayama Onsen Yakushi no Yu
- Kimiidera Onsen Hana no Yu Garden Hotel Hayashi
- Kishu Kuroshio Onsen
- Kada-Awashima Onsen, Pension Fujiya, Aburi no Yu
- CAT-chy
- Neko Miiko
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Places to stay in Wakayama
1 place to stay from the chains this guide covers, each linked to its own website.
| Place to stay |
|---|
| Toyoko Inn JR Wakayama-eki Higashi-guchi hotel |
Where to stay
Which part of Wakayama to stay in
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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Wakayama
Wakayama has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; September is the wettest, with about 235 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Wakayama: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kansai International Airport (KIX), about 23 km from the city centre in a straight line; Kobe Airport (UKB, 45 km) and Tokushima Awaodori Airport / JMSDF Tokushima Air Base (TKS, 53 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Kansai 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).
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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
KIX · Kansai International Airport
UKB · Kobe Airport
TKS · Tokushima Awaodori Airport / JMSDF Tokushima Air Base
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Wakayama
Eat
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.
Drink
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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Wakayama: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Wakayama?
Wakayama has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; September is the wettest, with about 235 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Wakayama?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kansai International Airport (KIX), about 23 km from the city centre in a straight line; Kobe Airport (UKB, 45 km) and Tokushima Awaodori Airport / JMSDF Tokushima Air Base (TKS, 53 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Wakayama?
yen (JPY).
Nearby
Destinations near Wakayama
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.