Wa-Wa-Wakayama!

Two people walking side by side on a tiled sidewalk near a Kintetsu station, under the shelter of a building.
A casual stroll near a Kintetsu station in Wakayama, where the tiled paths guide visitors through this tranquil area of Japan.

 

Come Play in Wakayama City! Land of the oranges and home of fun! Most people know I live in Tanabe (Wakayama) half the time, but it’s quite rare for me to visit Wakayama City, which is a 1- to 2-hour commute from Tanabe. I’m lucky enough to get the opportunity to be one of the tour models for Wakayama City and to work with the ever-so-amazing Jacob. I 1000% enjoyed my time and now I want to share that wonderful experience with you! Maybe you can go to some of the locations I went to on my two-day Wakayama City adventure.

Day 1

Close-up of a woman holding a cup of Tully's Coffee with neatly manicured nails.
A cozy coffee moment with Tully’s—perfect for a chilly day in Wakayama, Japan.

Wakayama Station

Welcome to Wakayama City!

The team and I all met at the station for both days. As I previously stated, Tanabe is a 1-2 hour trip (one way) to Wakayama City, so I had to start my day with a drink since we started early in the morning haha. If you are worried about being hungry or thirsty when you first get to Wakayama City, don’t be! They’ve got a Tully’s right at the train station along with other eateries for you to check out.

Wakaura (The south side)

A traditional Japanese house and a small pagoda structure nestled on a rocky hillside, surrounded by lush greenery in Wakayama.
A peaceful scene of traditional architecture in Wakayama, with a hillside pagoda and lush greenery.

 

Would you look at how beautiful this area is? One thing that surprised me about this area was how everything was connected. We started in an open area on the side of a shrine! The side also had a newly built tatami mat room that we got to look at. It was a rainy day and my pictures don’t do enough justice to how beautiful Wakaura truly is.

A panoramic view of a coastal town in Wakayama, Japan, with calm waters and distant hills under a cloudy sky.
Look at this view! 

Point to notice: You will need to climb a lot of stairs to get to this view. It’s worth it though!

Wakaura Nishi

Afterward, we headed to the main Kishu Toshogu Shrine, which is connected to the side area where we took the first pictures.

A hand holding a brochure for the Kishu Toshogu Shrine, with stone steps visible in the background in Wakayama.
Exploring the historical beauty of Kishu Toshogu Shrine in Wakayama, a must-visit cultural gem.

 

Moss-covered stone steps leading to a red torii gate at a shrine in Wakayama, Japan, with trees lining the sides and red banners placed along the stairs.
Can anyone say leg day? Jacob and I definitely had a good laugh about all of the exercises we did!

 

Intricate, colorful wooden carvings on the roof and walls of a shrine, showcasing traditional Japanese craftsmanship in Wakayama.
The stunning details of Japanese temple architecture in Wakayama, highlighting the artistry of colorful wooden carvings.

 

I haven’t told a lie yet, look at how beautiful the shrine is!

There are also hidden gems throughout the shrine~

Can you spot the playful cat? Come see it in person!

Patisserie Shuneido

Two people sitting on a bench outside a Japanese pastry shop in enjoying a sweet treat.
Sharing a moment of indulgence with Japanese pastries in the heart of Wakayama.

 

This bakery has the best shu cream cream puffs I’ve ever had! During the trip, everyone talked about a famous bakery known for its delicious shu cream.. Of course, I had no idea about it since I’m not from around this area. As soon as I bit into the little cream puffs of goodness, I was in heaven! There was something about the taste that reminded me of American desserts (If you know, you know haha). I immediately said I wanted to buy more to bring back home. I shared it with my Tanabe parents and they were also shocked at how yummy it was.

Cream puffs neatly packed and displayed inside a bakery case with price tags in Japanese.
Tempting cream puffs at a bakery in Wakayama, waiting to be enjoyed by pastry lovers.

Dom Dom

Right after stopping at the desert place, we went and ate at Dom Dom.

A close-up of a burger wrapped in paper, showing fresh lettuce, cheese, and a sesame seed bun.
A mouthwatering Japanese burger with crisp lettuce and melted cheese—perfect for a quick bite in Wakayama.

 

I had never heard of it before, but it’s a chain fast food store throughout Japan. I’m not sure where else they have locations, but they have some really amazing burgers. The burger also, surprisingly enough, reminded me of an American burger. In addition to that, right next to the fast food place is a mini area where they have vintage items and clothes that are sold along with a plant/flower store.

Tanioka Urushi Art

Lacquerware Experience

We learned the history of lacquerware and got a personal tour of an old lacquerware shop. It was fascinating to look at the old tools used to make the lacquerware and see what people from the past used to create it. Learning and thinking about how people in the olden days had to use these utensils to make simple things, such as bowls, forks, vases, etc.

You’ll never guess what some of the paint brushes were made from!

Traditional Japanese tools for lacquering wood, including brushes and red lacquer, spread out on the floor.
Answer: Human female hair

 

We were able to watch firsthand and learn about the process of how lacquerware masters wring out the paint in fabric and then paste it on in an oddly satisfying process that was really smooth to watch. Everyone in the room was mesmerized as we watched his process! It could have easily been an ASMR experience. We watched a pro do it, but by no means did we think it looked easy for us to do no matter how smoothly he worked.

An elderly Japanese craftsman working on a piece of lacquerware, seated in a workshop in Wakayama.
Mastering the art of Japanese lacquerware in Wakayama—an artisan at work preserving tradition.
A lacquerware box being decorated with heart designs, with materials like ink and paper on a newspaper-covered table.
Making My Own Bento Box.

 

We were put to the test as we were given bento boxes to decorate. Jacob used a premade design of birds, but I decided to make my own. I’m not sure if you can tell, but I tried to make a spade and a heart haha. It was an interesting process of tracing the paper on the bento box before carefully pasting broken seashells onto it using special glue. The seashells were exported from Mexico!

 As someone with zero artistic ability, which you can read in this article and see in this TikTok here, I was struggling. Either way, it was a fun and memorable experience that I’m very grateful for. I can’t wait to eat out of my new bento box!

 Like I said in my previous article about Fall self-care activities, creating is one of the best things you can do! (: Definitely come to Wakayama City and make your very own Bento box~

A hand holding a black lacquer box decorated with shiny glitter hearts and shapes, with a background of Japanese newspaper.
Crafting with care—decorating a traditional Japanese lacquer box with a glittering heart design in Wakayama.
Major Thanks Expressed
A group of smiling people posing inside a traditional Japanese room, with wooden floors and walls behind them in Wakayama.
A memorable group photo after a traditional craft workshop in Wakayama, celebrating the experience of Japanese artistry.

 

Again, I am so grateful to Jacob and our amazing team for setting this up. Make sure that you go to the locations covered in this article. Who knows, maybe you’ll see me or Jacob there- I surely plan to go back. If not us, you might just see our pictures in the advertisements haha. Make sure to visit Wakayama City when you have the chance!

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