Wakayama's Sacred Sites and Scenic Road Trip
Source:
@Abroad in Japan
4 attractions in Wakayama featured in a youtube post by Abroad in Japan, verified on Google Maps: Kongobu-ji Okuno-in, Kishi Station, Kumano Hongu Taisha Otorii, and 1 more.
Kongobu-ji Okuno-in
Place of worship
4.7
Okunoin is Japan's largest cemetery, a vast and ancient graveyard located in a dense cedar forest on Mount Koya. It features over 200,000 graves, including those of historical figures and corporate memorials, alongside moss-covered monuments and jizo statues. The tranquil and atmospheric setting offers a unique blend of history, nature, and spirituality.
Kishi Station
Train station
4.3
Kishi Station is a small rural train station famous for its feline station masters. Originally an unmanned station facing closure, the appointment of a cat named Tama as station master brought worldwide attention and significantly boosted local tourism and revenue. The train line features cat-themed trains and offers a unique cultural experience.
Kumano Hongu Taisha Otorii
Shinto shrine
4.6
This is the largest torii gate in the world, standing 33.9 meters tall and 42 meters wide, towering over rice paddies in Wakayama. It marks the entrance to the Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine, one of the three grand shrines of Kumano. Visitors can admire its imposing size from a distance or walk through it to reach the former site of the shrine.
Kawayu Onsen
Place
Kawayu Onsen is a unique hot spring village where visitors can dig their own personal hot spring baths directly into the riverbank. The riverbed is seismically active, allowing hot spring water to surface through the gravel. Shovels can be rented from local ryokans, and the temperature can be adjusted by allowing cold river water to mix with the hot spring water.