Nachikatsuura

A hot-spring fishing port at the foot of Kumano Nachi Taisha and Nachi Falls; Kii-Katsuura is famed for fresh tuna and seaside cave onsen, with Kumano Hayatama Taisha in Shingu and Hashigui-iwa in Kushimoto along the same coast.

The town of Nachikatsuura sits at the southeastern tip of the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture, backed by Mount Nachi and facing the Kumano-nada Sea. It is home to Kumano Nachi Taisha, one of the three Kumano Sanzan shrines within the World Heritage site "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range." A visit splits into two main parts. Up on Mount Nachi, climb the Daimon-zaka stone steps of the Kumano Kodo to Kumano Nachi Taisha and Seiganto-ji, and capture the classic shot of the three-storied pagoda framed with the 133 m Nachi Falls—allow half a day to a full day. Down below, Kii-Katsuura is a hot-spring fishing port: watch the early-morning fresh tuna auction, feast on tuna dishes, take a boat to the sea-cave onsen Bōkidō or cruise around the Kii-no-Matsushima islets; neighboring Taiji has a whale museum. Using Katsuura Onsen as a base, about 15 km northeast lies Shingu, with Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Kamikura Shrine and Jofuku Park, which you can reach by riding a traditional boat down the Kumano River from upstream; farther northeast in Mie Prefecture are Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine and the Onigajo sea caves. About 25 km southwest is Kushimoto, the southernmost point of Honshu, with Hashigui-iwa, Cape Shionomisaki, Kashinozaki Lighthouse and Kushimoto Marine Park. Spring and autumn are best for walking the old pilgrimage trails; winter is peak tuna season and mild and dry, while summer brings frequent typhoons, so keep an eye on the weather. Getting there: take the JR Limited Express Kuroshio from Tennoji in Osaka to Kii-Katsuura Station (about 3.5–4 hours), or fly to Nanki-Shirahama Airport and transfer (about 1.5 hours); local buses run up to Mount Nachi. Stay 1–2 nights, or combine with Kumano Hongu and Shirahama for a 3–4 day Kumano trip.

Top sights

• Nachi Falls – Japan's tallest waterfall with a single drop of 133 m. It is the sacred object of Hiryu Shrine and the centerpiece of the World Heritage Ku…
• Seiganto-ji & Three-Storied Pagoda – The first temple on the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. The vermilion three-storey pagoda framed with Nachi Falls is Kumano's most classic sc…
• Kumano Nachi Taisha – One of the three Kumano Grand Shrines, halfway up Mount Nachi. Its vermilion shrine buildings overlook the Pacific, and it enshrines Kumano…
• Daimonzaka Slope – One of the best-preserved stone-paved slopes on the Kumano Kodo, lined with towering cedars several centuries old and leading to Nachi Tais…
• Kumano Hayatama Taisha – One of the three Kumano Grand Shrines, located at the mouth of the Kumano River in central Shingu. Its vermilion buildings and the thousand…
• Kamikura Shrine – The giant rock Gotobiki on the summit of Mount Kamikura is where the Kumano deities first descended. Reaching it means climbing 538 steep s…
• Kii-Katsuura Fishing Port – One of Japan's largest ports for longline-caught fresh tuna, where you can watch the dawn auction and eat tuna rice bowls by the harbour.
• Bokido Cave Onsen – A natural sea-cave hot spring inside Hotel Urashima. The cave mouth faces the surf of the Pacific, and legend says a Kishu domain lord ling…
• Kumano River Boat Tour – A roughly 90-minute ride down the World Heritage Kumano River on a traditional wooden boat, retracing the route Heian-period nobles took fr…
• Onigajo Rocks – A honeycomb of huge sea caves along the Kumano Sea coast. A coastal walkway of about 1.2 km winds among the strange rocks, within the buffe…
• Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine – An ancient shrine with no main hall, whose sacred object is a huge rock face about 45 metres high. It is considered one of Japan's oldest s…
• Taiji Whale Museum – A whale museum in Taiji, considered the birthplace of traditional Japanese whaling, with life-size whale models, skeleton specimens and dol…
• Fudarakusan-ji – Part of the World Heritage site, this is where, from the Heian to Edo periods, monks set out in Fudaraku boats toward the southern sea, see…
• Kinomatsushima Islands – Dozens of small pine-covered islands scattered across Katsuura Bay. A sightseeing cruise of about 55 minutes passes rock formations and sea…
• Jofuku Park – A Chinese-style park in front of Shingu Station that commemorates the Qin-dynasty alchemist Xu Fu's eastward voyage. It has Xu Fu's tomb an…

Where to eat

• Takehara Tuna Cuisine – A tuna restaurant beside Kii-Katsuura Station with only counter seats. Its thick-cut tuna set meal is the first choice…
• bodai – A creative dining spot in front of Kii-Katsuura Station that plays jazz. Its signature is a tuna mid-belly cutlet, cris…
• Katsuragi – A local restaurant where you can enjoy tuna as sashimi, fried, teppanyaki and more, including the jaw and eyes. The tun…

Itineraries

• Kumano Kodo: Nakahechi, Hongu & Nachi – Hike the highlights of the World Heritage Nakahechi route, connecting the Kumano Sanzan while staying in hot spring and…
• Kii Peninsula Road Trip: Koyasan & Kumano Coast – A scenic drive around the Kii Peninsula, staying in temple lodgings and hot spring resorts, featuring the Kumano Sanzan…