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
Wakayama
Wakayama, Japan · Asia
About Wakayama
Wakayama is worth a stop: 20 minutes from Fuke, 15km from Tomogashima.
Wakayama is in Japan, with about 360,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Fuke, about 9 km away.
Wakayama (和歌山市, Wakayama-shi; pronounced [wakaꜜjama]) is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. As of 1 December 2021, the city had an estimated population of 351,391 in 157,066 households and a population density of 1700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 208.84 squareRead more
kilometres (80.63 sq mi).
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Wakayama?
Within an hour or so of Wakayama: Tomogashima (15 km), Koyasan (Mount Koya) (38 km), Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (45 km), Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (53 km).
Are there any good drives near Wakayama?
The nearest famous roads are Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail and Philosopher's Path.
Where is Wakayama?
Wakayama is in Wakayama, Japan, about 9 km from Fuke.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 356,729
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Japan
- Region
- Wakayama
- Timezone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Coordinates
- 34.2333, 135.1667
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 Wakayama
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.
38 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.
45 km · about 50 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.
53 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Universal Studios Japan
Osaka's blockbuster theme park featuring world-class rides, the Wizarding World, and Super Nintendo World.
54 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Dotonbori
Osaka's dazzling neon-lit entertainment and street food district along the Dotonbori canal, famed for its giant animated signs.
57 km · about 65 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.
57 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Wakayama
- 66 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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