Despite being just around 40 minutes to the south of Kansai International Airport, too few foreign tourists ever make it down to Wakayama City. Truth be told, until recently, even I was among the ranks of those who had yet to visit. Despite being the capital city of the prefecture, those who come to Wakayama often only do so for the likes of Koyasan and the Kumano Kodo. Seeing as these sites have been honored as the “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” since 2004, it’s not surprising that so many pass up Wakayama City.
Recently, I was invited down by Wakayama City Tourist Association to partake in two monitor tours. The goal of these was to develop content that would appeal to tourists flying in or out of Kansai International Airport. As great as it is that a lot of people are now staying overnight at Koyasan or trekking the Kumano Kodo, these locales require a significant time investment. Thus, for many people doing standard “Golden Route” itineraries, they are a bit too out of the way to include without sacrificing something else.
Luckily, Wakayama City’s proximity to Kansai International Airport means that travelers can get a taste of what the prefecture has to offer without really messing up the rest of their plans. While I use the word “taste” here poetically, gastronomy was the topic of the two tours I participated in, as you’ll see below. I’ve opted to highlight each of the experiences in detail but know that one pertains to Shojin Ryori and the other to Wakayama’s top seafood. If one of those happens not to be your shtick, feel free to skip to the other.
Shojin Ryori in Wakayama City
The first of the two experiences that I’d like to highlight here for you was at a restaurant in Wakayama City. Here, we had the chance to prepare a portion of a Shojin Ryori meal from scratch at a famous restaurant. Normally, this cuisine is associated with a temple stay, a la when you overnight on Koyasan or something. However, it is rather rare that you get the chance to indulge in Shojin Ryori in the middle of an urban area.
Thanks to the likes of Koyasan, many people these days have had the chance to try Shojin Ryori but far fewer folks have ever had the opportunity to make it alongside a master chef. We started by taking fresh soybeans and turning them into tofu. I’ll admit, this was the first time I actually prepared food in a long time due to being quasi-nomadic and never home, but it was still an interesting experience to get behind the counter of such a storied restaurant.
After blending the soybeans into a fine paste, we then had to boil it to complete the tofu dish. While we did this, the helpful restaurant aides went about making the rest of the meal (which I was quite thankful for because I am a terrible cook). Eventually, the amazing set of dishes seen above was ready, and my group of other monitor participants and I were free to dig in. All in all, it was a nice way to add in something that you would only ever normally get to taste if you went to Koyasan.
Speaking of Koyasan, after the meal, we also got to try a quick session of Ajikan meditation. Originally created by the founder of Koyasan, the legendary monk Kukai, being able to experience Ajikan this far away from any major temple complex was a real treat and one of the selling points of this tour offering. Both the Shojin Ryori cooking component and the Ajikan meditation took only a few hours, meaning that participating in this tour need not mess up the rest of your Japan itinerary.
While I would encourage those seeking a more authentic experience of Shojin Ryori to actually go stay at a shukubo pilgrim lodging in Koyasan, I left with the sense that this tour offering was an easy way to sneak in a session for those flying out of Kansai International Airport. You’re going to need to use some Google Translate to navigate the reservation page, bookings for the itinerary that I got the chance to participate in will be made available sometime in early 2024.
Wakayama Seafood & Italian Cooking
The second monitor tour that I took part in started at Kuroshio Ichiba. Located on the outskirts of the city on a man-made island in Wakaura Bay, this fish market sells all sorts of fresh, locally-caught seafood. We were joined by the head chef of GASTROTERIA F, an Italian restaurant that can be found only a few minutes away from the JR Wakayama Station. Our purpose for being at Kuroshio Ichiba was simple — together with the chef, we were to pick out the ingredients for a truly epic feast.
Despite being located so close to Kansai International Airport, Wakayama City is often not on the radars of foodies. While this is slowly changing for Asian countries who can easily fly in, there’s still a lot of work to be done when it comes to Western tourists. Basically what I am trying to say here is that if you want some really good seafood, do yourself a favor and make the one-hour trip down to a place like Kuroshio Ichiba.
Generally, this offering would not go to Kuroshio Ichiba. Instead, you’d pick up the catch of the day from the small fishing hamlet of Saikazaki. Situated on a cape in the southern part of Wakayama City, this town is the epitome of a hidden gem. Essentially built into the hillside, this collection of fishermen’s homes feels a lot like a maze. While worth visiting on its own (especially at “golden hour” as seen above), being able to buy the freshest of seafood directly from the fishermen is indeed a highlight of the tour. Unfortunately, we had to go with the backup of Kuroshio Ichiba due to the weather.
Thankfully, I did get the chance to at least see Saikazaki while on the monitor tour. Normally, it would be one or the other but the Wakayama City Tourist Association felt that the participants should experience some of Saikazaki to properly understand the appeal of the product. After exploring the hilly townscape, we hopped into some taxis and dropped by Wakayama Castle for a few minutes to catch the autumn foliage. This too is not usually part of the agenda but we still had some time to kill before dinner at GASTROTERIA and the castle grounds were at their peak. Specifically, the Momijidani Garden portion of Wakayama Castle was enchanting.
Anyway, soon after we explored the grounds of the impressive Wakayama Castle, the sun set on us, and it was time for dinner, so we walked our way over to GASTROTERIA F. For what it’s worth, Wakayama City is very walkable. Thus, even though a lot of the points of interest are spread out, the main downtown areas are all accessible by foot. When coupled with an extensive bus network, this makes getting around a breeze.
Alas, we aren’t here to talk only about Wakayama City, so let’s get back to GASTROTERIA F. Simply put, our multi-course Italian banquet was nothing short of superb. Comprised of many dishes (all with seafood we handpicked at Kuroshio Ichiba), this meal is bound to satisfy even the most stringent food critics. If you do happen to participate in this tour, though, I suggest you plan to stay the night nearby. As I was enjoying the meal, I noticed that all the other guests were starting to worry about trains.
Like with the Shojin Ryori experience introduced above, you’re going to need to navigate some Japanese on the reservation page if you want to book this experience once it goes live in early 2024. Moreover, while the making of traditional Buddhist cuisine can be done for lunch, dinner at GASTROTERIA F doesn’t combine as well with a flight out of Kansai International Airport. Thus, if you do give this tour option a try, be sure to check your logistics if you want to give this one a go.
Other Nearby Attractions
At the end of the day, no small section at the end of an article is going to do this part of Japan any real justice. In fact, there are enough hidden gems in Wakayama City to keep you going for a few days. Especially if you go to the spots located a bit further from the major train stations like Kimii-dera and whatnot, you’re going to need to allocate more than just a half day to Wakayama City.
While you might need to pass on many of the attractions in the city if all you’re doing is one of the two tours that I’ve featured here, you really ought to add on Wakayama Castle. The fortress is conveniently located in the middle of Wakayama City, thereby making it a logistically sound addition to either the Shojin Ryori and Ajikan experience or the epic Italian dinner at GASTROTERIA F.
Until next time travelers…
