From luxury accommodation to unique experiences!8 recommended inns in Wakayama
Wakayama Prefecture is full of places to visit, such as Shirarahama and Katsuura, with their white sandy beaches and blue sea, the World Heritage-listed Kumano Kodo Trail and historic Mount Koya.
In this issue, we have picked out some of the best places to stay when travelling in Wakayama Prefecture. We have picked up luxury high-class inns and inns where you can enjoy unique food and experiences from different areas! Please use this as a reference when travelling in Wakayama.
For more information on Wakayama’s sightseeing spots, check out this article!
Suburban areas of Wakayama City
The first area introduced here is the Wakayama City suburban area, centred around JR Wakayama Station and featuring tourist attractions such as Wakayama Castle.
Luxury accommodation｜Epicaris
All 25 rooms have an ocean view and there are no clocks in the rooms. This is the perfect accommodation for a slow holiday where you can forget about time and relax.
More than half of the rooms have terraces with hammocks, sun loungers and sofas, so you can relax and enjoy the sea view.
The blue and white colour scheme of the hotel makes it feel like you’re in Greece. Depending on the day of the week, you can enjoy live music, bonfires and casino games.
‘Epikaris’ is a Greek word meaning ‘charming’. Spend a charming time at this inn, which makes you feel as if you are on the Aegean Sea.
Address.
2-4, Shin-Wakaura, Wakayama, Wakayama 641-0023, Japan
Access.
20 min. by taxi from JR Wakayama Stn.
Official website
Food and experience oriented hotels｜Wakayama Marina City Hotel
This is a hotel with an Italian feel, with 99 rooms all with an ocean view and a view of the sunset, chosen as one of the ‘100 best sunsets in Japan’.
The hotel is located in Wakayama Marina City, an artificial island built in Wakaura. In addition to the hotel, there is a theme park called Porto Europe where you can enjoy European cityscapes and attractions, Kuroshio Market where you can enjoy a tuna dismemberment show, Kishu Kuroshio Onsen (hot spring) which springs from 1500m under the sea, and Umi Fishing Park where you can catch big fish. With such a wide range of facilities, this alone is enough to enjoy Wakayama to the full.
You can enjoy BBQ at the Kuroshio Market, and the Kishu Kuroshio Onsen offers a wide range of relaxation plans, so there are many ways to enjoy yourself.
The restaurants in the Marina City Hotel offer Italian or Japanese cuisine with plenty of Wakayama seafood and mountain produce.
Address.
1517, Kemi, Wakayama, Wakayama 641-0014, Japan
Access.
10 mins by bus from JR Kainan Station, 40 mins by bus from JR Wakayama Station.
Official website
https://www.marinacity.com/hotel/
Kumano area
Area with the Kumano Kodo, the only ‘road’ in Japan registered as a World Heritage Site.
Walking along this historic path, which people have walked since the Heian Period, or relaxing in the hot springs… you can fully enjoy the bounty of nature in this area.
Luxury accommodation｜Sanso Ten-no-sato
Located near the World Heritage Site Niutsuhime Shrine, this inn features a warm and welcoming space that has also won a Good Design Award. The architecture is luxurious, with Kishu cedar and Kishu cypress used in abundance.
There are a total of eight luxury rooms on a 6,000 tsubo site, all of which are spacious. There is ample space between rooms, so you can spend time without worrying about the eyes of other guests. You can also enjoy three private baths with different atmospheres and a half-open-air bath in the guest rooms.
Cherry blossoms, fireflies, autumn leaves and starry skies – you can enjoy the seasonal scenery at this luxury inn in the satoyama.
Address.
1620 Shimotenno, Katsuragi Town, Itsu-gun, Wakayama 649-7142
Access.
15 mins drive from Kasada Station on the JR Wakayama Line, 20 mins drive from Kihoku Katsuragi IC.
Official website
Food and experience-oriented accommodation｜SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA/CHIKATSUYU
Want to walk along the Kumano Kodo! If so, we recommend the plan of staying at the two inns SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA and CHIKATSUYU, which opened in 2022, for consecutive nights.
These inns are uninhabited and built along the Kumano Kodo, which is registered as a World Heritage Site. You can spend your time without worrying about other people’s eyes.
TAKAHARA is a renovated old private house inn in a village with a population of 70 people. The meat, vegetables, sake, juice and snacks from Wakayama Prefecture prepared at the inn are all included in the accommodation fee, so enjoy them without worrying about the price. If you can’t eat it all, you can take it home!
If you enjoy a four-hour trek along the Kumano Kodo from TAKAHARA, you will arrive at CHIKATSUYU! This is a seven-unit container villa. You can make pizzas in the stone oven and have lava-plate BBQs.
This accommodation also allows you to stay with your dog. If you want to enjoy the Kumano Kodo with the whole family, this is probably the best place to stay.
SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA
Address.
1966 Takahara, Nakaheji-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama 646-1416
Access.
40 min drive from Kamitonda IC, 45 min drive from JR Kii-Tanabe Station.
Official site
https://sen-retreat.com/stay/takahara/
SEN.RETREAT CHIKATSUYU
Address.
1806 Chikanuro, Nakaheji-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama 646-1402
Access.
50 min drive from Nanki-Shirahama Airport, 40 min drive from Kamitonda IC, 45 min drive from JR Kii-Tanabe Station.
Official website
https://sen-retreat.com/stay/chikatsuyu/
Koyasan area
Koyasan is a sacred site of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, founded by Kobo-Daishi Kukai over 1,500 years ago. In the past and even today, many people still seek to visit this sacred place.
Koyasan is surrounded by mountains at an altitude of 1,000 metres. One of the Kumano Kodo, the Kohechi, refers to the road from Koyasan to the Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine, so it is easy to plan a trip to enjoy both Koyasan and the Kumano Kodo.
Superior Lodging｜Takanoyama Begbonzan Sogyoin
Soji-in Temple, located on the western side of Koyasan, is in an excellent location with the Danjo Great Temple in front of the gate, adjacent to Kongobuji Temple to the east and Amida Peak behind it. There is a ‘shukubo’ where you can stay overnight in the temple.
Originally, ‘shukubo’ were lodgings for monks and worshippers, but now they are also open to general tourists.
The attraction is the beauty of the gardens. Some rooms have a view of the garden. Some rooms also have tsuboniwa gardens! There are also valuable experiences such as early-morning meditation and sutra copying.
The hotel is barrier-free, so guests in wheelchairs can stay here without worry.
住所
〒648-0296 和歌山県伊都郡高野町高野山143
Access.
5 mins from JR Gokurakubashi Station by Nankai Koyasan Cable Car.
Official website
Food and experience-oriented accommodation
Monks welcome you at the entrance to Ichijoin, where you will be greeted by monks. The inn is within walking distance of Kongobuji Temple and Danjo Garan, which are essential if you want to visit Koyasan, making it the perfect place to explore Koyasan.
One of Ichijyo-in’s attractions is its baths, which use spring water from Koyasan. In addition, the meals, both dinner and breakfast, are vegetarian. Furthermore, you can enjoy valuable experiences that can only be had on Koyasan, such as morning meditation at 6.20am, a sutra copying experience and the Shingon Buddhism meditation method, Ajikan.
Ask the monks about the Buddhist paintings in the museum and take a walk in the garden. It is sure to be a fulfilling trip.
Address
606, Koyasan, Koyamachi, Ito-gun, Wakayama 648-0211, Japan
Access
5 mins from JR Gokurakubashi Station by Nankai Koyasan Cable Car.
Official website
Shirahama and Kushimoto area
White sand beaches, natural rivers and hot springs. The Shirahama-Kushimoto area is rich in nature.
The area is home to Adventure World, where you can meet pandas, making it the perfect place for sightseeing with children.
Luxury accommodation｜Shirahama Onsen Hamachidori-no-yu Kaifune
Built on a promontory overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Kaifune is like a ship crossing the Pacific. You can soak in the hot spring baths while gazing out over the open sea, or enjoy a boat-load of Wakayama seafood, or relax your body and soul with a genuine spa treatment…
At the esthetic salon, you can enjoy a massage using 100% Dead Sea Water (Dead Sea Water) and Dead Sea Mud from Jordan, an open-air bath in each room, alcohol produced in Wakayama Prefecture, and more.
There are two dining options: the Kishu Funamori kaiseki ‘Ushio-sai’ and the seasonal Shokko kaiseki ‘Umihotaru’, so you can choose according to your preferences.
Address
1698-1, Shirahama-cho, Nishimuro-gun, Wakayama 649-2211, Japan
Access
10-minute drive from Nanki Shirahama Airport; 30-minute free shuttle bus ride from JR Shirahama Station.
Official website
https://www.hotespa.net/hotels/kaisyu/
Food and experience-oriented accommodation｜Toretore Village
Toretore Village is a carefully designed inn where all rooms are differently furnished. All rooms are white dome houses. The round shape is cute and definitely photo-worthy!
The entire area is divided into the ‘fairy-tale zone’ and the ‘fantastic zone’, and some rooms allow smoking and dogs. You can choose according to your own preferences.
Also, all of the rooms have unique interiors, and you can enjoy a variety of textures, such as carpet, wooden flooring and marble, so you can have a new experience every time, and many people come back again.
The Fantasy Zone is recommended for children under 3 years old. Children’s slippers, body sponge, mild body soap, hand towels and children’s toothbrushes are provided.
This hotel is located in the Toretore Park. This park is one of the largest seafood markets in western Japan. You can fish, eat fresh fish and buy souvenirs. There are many ways to enjoy yourself.
This article introduces Toretore Village.
Address
2498-1, Katada, Shirahama-cho, Nishimuro-gun, Wakayama 649-2201
Access
5 minutes by bus or car from JR Shirahama Station.
Official website
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