'''Wakayama''' (_a___R) is the capital of Wakayama prefecture, Japan.

Get in

Wakayama is a major station and is just over an hour away from Namba and Tennoji. Many people commute from Wakayama into Osaka each day. There are two stations in Wakayama, one operated by JR and one by Nankai (Wakayamashi). Wakayamashi is marginally closer to the castle.

Get around

Buses run between the two train stations which pass the castle. The maximum journey is 220yen and takes ten minutes or so. Taxis also operate in large numbers, and are very easily found.

See

Wakayama is best known for its castle. Like many castles in Japan, this is a partial reconstruction, as it suffered bomb damage during the war. Walking around the castle is not as commerical as it would be in places like Osaka, for example, and it usually very peaceful. Entry into the castle itself is 300yen, and you get a good view of the city. There are some small exhibits inside, showing some of the castle's understated history. Within the castle grounds is a zoo, which is a very depressing experience- best avoided.

Do

By car, you can reach a small amusement park called Europa city, which is not very tourist-orientated or well advertised. It was built to capitalise on the newly-built Kansai airport, but has faced financial problems because of it's somewhat awkward position out of town.

Buy

Wakayama specialises in Mikan (oranges) and various other regionally-known products. There is a small gift shop adjacent to Wakayama castle, but little else. Wakayama has one main department store, Kintetsu, which is relatively expensive. Other than that, the best place to do any shopping is in Burakuricho, which has a DonKehote shop.

Eat

The Yakkinikku shop near JR station, Karibicho, is very good, and the family set meal is reasonably priced.

Drink

There are some atmospheric izakayas here but nothing special. Arochi has the token seedy area, which has a lot of hostess bars and other expensive vices.

Sleep

There are a few small hotels in Wakayama, none of which are really used to dealing with tourists. The most easy to spot is the monstrous Daiwa Roynet, which towers above the city near Wakayama Castle. Nearby, in Burakuricho, there is a new business hotel, and there is the Granvia hotel, a rather exclusive and expensive hotel near JR station.

Get out

Perhaps one of the best features of Wakayama is that it is well connected, and provides good access to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and so on without being on top of them. Wakayama is a smaller city which seemingly makes little effort to embrace tourism, so is a good example of a "normal" Japanese place untouched by the demons of tourism.

The South of Wakayama prefecture is one of Japan's playgrounds, and its well known resort of Shirahama is busy during the summer season. Koyasan, the atmospheric and picturesque mountain an hour from Wakayama, is a little-known (by tourists) gem.