ancient ruins
Tomogashima
An uninhabited island off Wakayama covered in overgrown red-brick Meiji-era artillery forts, tunnels and magazines. Reached by a short ferry from Kada; the batteries are linked by footpaths.
15 km · about 30 min drive
AsiaJapanWakayama
Minato
Wakayama, Japan · Asia
About Minato
Minato is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Kainan, 15km from Tomogashima.
Minato is in Wakayama, Japan, with about 380,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Kainan, about 9 km away.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Minato?
Within an hour or so of Minato: Tomogashima (15 km), Koyasan (Mount Koya) (40 km), Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (46 km), Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (55 km).
Are there any good drives near Minato?
The nearest famous roads are Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail and Philosopher's Path.
Where is Minato?
Minato is in Wakayama, Japan, about 9 km from Kainan.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 375,339
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Japan
- Region
- Wakayama
- Timezone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Coordinates
- 34.2152, 135.1501
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Japan
Japan Helpline (24h English assistance): 0570-000-911. An International Driving Permit (1949 convention) is required to drive.
Full driving guide for JapanTags
Worth the detour from Minato
7 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Koyasan (Mount Koya)
A sacred mountaintop temple settlement and headquarters of Shingon Buddhism, where visitors can stay in temple lodgings and walk through an ancient cemetery.
40 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
World's longest suspension bridge spanning 3,911 metres across the Akashi Strait between Kobe and Awaji Island.
46 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
One of the world's largest public aquariums in Osaka featuring a massive Pacific Ocean tank with whale sharks.
55 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
Universal Studios Japan
Osaka's blockbuster theme park featuring world-class rides, the Wizarding World, and Super Nintendo World.
56 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
Dotonbori
Osaka's dazzling neon-lit entertainment and street food district along the Dotonbori canal, famed for its giant animated signs.
60 km · about 70 min drive
restaurant
Jiyuken
An Osaka institution open since 1910, serving meishi curry with the rice already mixed through the sauce and a raw egg on top, to be stirred in with Worcestershire sauce.
60 km · about 70 min drive
Driving roads near Minato
- 68 kmMount YoshinoJapan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spot with over 30,000 trees covering an entire mountainside in waves of pink each spring.
- 71 kmKumano Kodo Pilgrimage TrailAn ancient network of pilgrimage routes through the mountainous Kii Peninsula, one of only two UNESCO-listed pilgrimage trails in the world.
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