From luxury stays to one-of-a-kind experiences: 8 recommended places to stay in Wakayama
Wakayama Prefecture is full of must-see spots—from Shirarahama and Katsuura, with their white sandy beaches and blue seas, to the World Heritage–listed Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail and the historic temple town of Mount Koya.
In this article, we’ve selected some of the best places to stay when traveling in Wakayama. From luxurious stays to inns where you can enjoy unique food and experiences, we’ve picked options from different areas across the prefecture. Use this as a handy reference when planning your trip to Wakayama.
For more on sightseeing in Wakayama, check out this article:
Wakayama City and Nearby Areas
The first area we’ll introduce is the Wakayama City area and its surroundings.
Centered around JR Wakayama Station, it offers popular attractions such as Wakayama Castle.
Luxury Accommodation: Epicaris
All 25 rooms offer ocean views, and none of them have clocks—perfect for a slow-paced, relaxing getaway where you can truly forget about time.
More than half of the rooms feature terraces equipped with hammocks, sun loungers, or sofas, allowing you to unwind while taking in the sea views.
With its blue-and-white color scheme, the hotel feels as if you’ve stepped into Greece. On certain days, guests can also enjoy live music, a fireside gathering, or casual casino games.
“Epikaris” comes from the Greek word for “charming.” How about spending an enchanting, Aegean-inspired stay at this unique seaside retreat?
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 Hotel｜Wakayama Marina City Hotel
This Italian-inspired hotel features 99 rooms, all with ocean views and front-row seats to sunsets that have been selected as one of the “100 Best Sunsets in Japan.”
The hotel is located on Wakayama Marina City, an artificial island in Wakaura. In addition to the hotel, the island is home to Porto Europe, a theme park with European-style streetscapes and attractions; Kuroshio Market, where you can watch tuna-cutting shows; Kishu Kuroshio Onsen, a hot spring sourced from 1,500 meters below the sea; and a sea fishing park where you can try for big catches. With so many facilities in one place, you could easily spend your entire trip enjoying just this area.
At Kuroshio Market you can enjoy BBQ, while Kishu Kuroshio Onsen offers a variety of relaxation packages, so there are many different ways to spend your time.
The restaurants at Wakayama Marina City Hotel serve Italian and Japanese cuisine made with plenty of seafood and produce from the mountains of Wakayama.
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
This area is home to the Kumano Kodo, the only pilgrimage route in Japan to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here you can stroll along the historic paths that pilgrims have followed since the Heian period, soak in hot springs to ease your fatigue, and fully enjoy the area’s rich natural surroundings.
Luxury accommodation｜Sanso Ten-no-sato
Located near Niutsuhime Shrine, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, this inn features a warm, inviting atmosphere that has also earned it a Good Design Award. The buildings are crafted luxuriously with generous use of Kishu cedar and Kishu cypress.
Set on spacious grounds of around 6,000 tsubo (about 2 hectares), the property has just eight luxury rooms, each offering a relaxing, open feel. With ample space between the rooms, you can unwind without being seen or disturbed by other guests. Guests can also enjoy three private baths, each with a different character, as well as semi-open-air baths attached to the guest rooms.
Cherry blossoms, fireflies, autumn foliage, and star-filled skies—this is a luxurious inn in satoyama countryside where you can fully savor the changing beauty of the seasons.
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-Focused Stays｜SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA & CHIKATSUYU
If you’d like to walk along the Kumano Kodo, we recommend staying on consecutive nights at SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA and CHIKATSUYU, two properties that opened in 2022.
These are unmanned, self-service inns built right along the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Kumano Kodo. You can relax and enjoy your stay without being seen or disturbed by other guests.
TAKAHARA is a renovated traditional house located in a small village of around 70 residents. The meat, vegetables, sake, juices, and snacks from Wakayama provided at the inn are all included in the room rate, so you can indulge without worrying about the cost. And if you can’t finish everything, you’re welcome to take the leftovers with you.
After a roughly four-hour trek along the Kumano Kodo from TAKAHARA, you’ll arrive at CHIKATSUYU, where seven container villas await. Here you can bake your own pizzas in a stone oven or enjoy a lava-plate BBQ.
SEN.RETREAT CHIKATSUYU is also dog-friendly, so if you want to experience the Kumano Kodo with the whole family—including your four-legged members—this is the perfect 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 center of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, founded by Kobo-Daishi Kukai over 1,500 years ago. Both in the past and today, many people are drawn to this holy mountain.
Koyasan is surrounded by mountains that rise to around 1,000 metres. One of the Kumano Kodo routes, the Kohechi, is the trail that leads from Koyasan to Kumano Hongu Taisha, making it easy to plan a trip that lets you enjoy both Koyasan and the Kumano Kodo.
Luxury Temple Stay｜Koyasan Bekkaku-honzan Souji-in
complex lies in front of its gate, Kongobuji Temple is adjacent to the east, and Amida Peak rises behind it. This temple is a shukubo—a temple lodging where guests can stay overnight within the grounds.
Originally, shukubo were lodgings for monks and pilgrims, but today they also welcome ordinary travelers.
One of Soji-in’s main attractions is its beautiful gardens. Some guest rooms look out over the main garden, and others feature their own small inner courtyard (tsuboniwa). Guests can also take part in special experiences such as early-morning services and sutra copying.
The temple lodging is designed to be barrier-free and wheelchair accessible, so guests with mobility needs can stay here with peace of mind.
Address
〒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-Focused Stay｜Ichijō-in
At Ichijo-in, you are warmly welcomed at the entrance by resident monks. This temple lodging is within walking distance of Kongobu-ji Temple and the Danjo Garan complex—must-see sites when visiting Koyasan—making it an ideal base for exploring the area.
One of Ichijo-in’s main attractions is its baths, which use spring water from Mount Koya. All meals, both dinner and breakfast, are served as shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine). Guests can also take part in unique experiences that can only be had on Koyasan, such as the morning service held at 6:20 a.m., sutra-copying (shakyō), and Ajikan, a Shingon meditation practice.
You can ask the monks about the Buddhist paintings displayed inside the temple or take a stroll through the gardens—both are sure to make your stay even more rewarding. The facilities are barrier-free, so guests using wheelchairs can stay here with peace of mind.
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
The Shirahama–Kushimoto area is blessed with white sand beaches, clear rivers surrounded by nature, and relaxing hot springs. It’s a region rich in natural beauty.
It’s also home to Adventure World, where you can see giant pandas, making it an ideal destination for families visiting with children.
Luxury Stay｜Shirahama Onsen Hamachidori no Yu Kaishu
Perched on a headland with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, Hamachidori no Yu Kaishu is designed to evoke a ship sailing across the open sea. You can soak in hot spring baths while gazing out at the vast ocean, savor lavish boat-style platters of fresh seafood from Wakayama, or fully unwind with authentic spa treatments.
At the spa, guests can enjoy massages using 100% natural mineral Dead Sea water and Dead Sea mud from Jordan. Some guest rooms feature private open-air baths, and many are stocked with alcoholic beverages produced in Wakayama, for a truly indulgent stay.
For dinner, you can choose between two kaiseki courses: “Ushiosai,” a Kishu-style funamori kaiseki showcasing sashimi served on boat-shaped platters, and “Umihotaru,” a seasonal kaiseki menu—another delightful point of this stay.
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 uniquely designed resort where every dome-shaped room features its own distinct interior. The white, round dome houses are charming and incredibly photogenic.
The property is divided into two themed areas—the Märchen Zone and the Fantasy Zone. Some rooms are pet-friendly or offer smoking options, so you can choose a style that suits your needs.
Each room is decorated with completely different furnishings, ranging from carpet and wood flooring to marble finishes. Because every stay offers a new atmosphere, many guests return again and again.
For families traveling with children under three, the Fantasy Zone is especially recommended. The rooms come with thoughtful amenities such as children’s slippers, body sponges, mild body soap, hand towels, and kids’ toothbrushes.
Toretore Village is located within Toretore Park, home to one of the largest seafood markets in western Japan. Here, you can try fishing, enjoy freshly prepared seafood, or shop for local souvenirs—there are plenty of fun ways to spend your time.
And if you want an even more playful stay, check out the Panda Village within the same park. It features 25 panda-themed dome houses—perfect for guests who want a whimsical and memorable experience.
Address
2498-1, Katada, Shirahama-cho, Nishimuro-gun, Wakayama 649-2201
Access
5 minutes by bus or car from JR Shirahama Station.
Official website
Other Articles
