Culture Wakayama Castle In 1585, warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi was looking for some way to strengthen his hold over the southern part of the Kansai regi...
12 Culture Hongu Town Virginia Gonzalez Hongu is a city in Wakayama Prefecture that is famous for its World Heritage Sites: the Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine and the Ku...
9 Culture Ascension to Kamikura Shrine Virginia Gonzalez Kamikura-jinja is an unusual shrine located in Shingu, Wakayama
Culture Hongu Taisha Spring Festival 2026 Alena Eckelmann Festivals to honor the Kumano Deities and the tradition of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage are an inherent part of the annual cale...
Culture Introducing Kumano–“The Land of the Gods” Alena Eckelmann Kumano is situated in the southeastern part of the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. People have been worshiping r...
11 Culture Oku-no-in Cemetery, Koya-san Peter Sidell Near Osaka in Japan's Wakayama prefecture, the Buddhist mountain Koya-san is home to Oku-no-in, an ancient forest cemetery wi...
Culture Koyasan: Heart of Shingon Buddhism Allison Morris If you’re planning a trip to the Kansai area and love Japanese culture and religious history, Koyasan needs to make its way o...
Culture Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trails Alena Eckelmann For over 1,000 years Kumano has attracted Japanese worshippers and seekers, and old trails, more or less intact, cross-cross ...
Culture Tanabe Festival 2025 Virginia Gonzalez The Tanabe Festival takes place every year on the 24th and 25th of July in Tanabe City. During the festivities various proce...
Culture Mt. Koya and the Great Teacher Alena Eckelmann Follow Buddhist pilgrims to Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum on Mt. Koya for a breeze of enlightenment