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Wakayama Prefecture

39 temples · 14 shrines

Wakayama Prefecture is in the Kansai region on the southern coast of Japan’s Honshu island. It is known for Mount Koya, a major Buddhist site, the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes, and its long Pacific coastline with forested mountains and hot spring areas.

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A ranked guide to standout temples and shrines for planning a meaningful visit.

1
Kongo Sanmai-in
5.0(1)
Location: Koya, Wakayama
Opens at: Opens 08:00
Goshuin: 1 Goshuin
Kongō Sanmaiin is a historic Buddhist temple on Mount Kōya, founded in 1211 by Hōjō Masako. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it houses a national treasure pagoda and over 10 important cultural properties. Offers shukubo (temple lodging) and meditation...
Why you should go
Book your temple stay well in advance if you want to participate in the morning Buddhist ceremony (6:30 AM year-round) and meditation, as the temple accommodates up to 250 guests but fills quickly during peak seasons.
Plan to walk the temple grounds slowly to appreciate the six ancient cedar trees, each several hundred years old, which create a solemn atmosphere that reflects the temple's 800-year history.
The temple is located approximately 4 km from Gokurakubashi train station and 4.8 km from Koyasan Station, with free private parking available on the grounds.
Address: 425 Kōyasan, Koya, Ito District, Wakayama 648-0211, JapanWebsite Phone: +81736563838
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2
Hirou Jinja
5.0(1)
Location: Nachikatsuura, Wakayama
Opens at: Opens in 45 min
Goshuin: 1 Goshuin
Hirō Jinja is a Shinto shrine in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama, set at the base of Nachi Falls. It is a subordinate shrine of Kumano Nachi Taisha, and worship here centers on the waterfall itself, revered as the shrine’s sacred object.
Why you should go
This shrine has no main hall. Worshippers stand 200 meters from Nachi Falls and pray directly to the waterfall itself, which serves as the shrine's sacred object.
Hiro Jinja's sacred object is not a statue or mirror: it is Nachi Falls itself, making the waterfall the focus of worship.
The shrine sells lucky charms depicting a dragon god, based on an ancient legend that a dragon lives within Nachi Falls, Japan's tallest single-drop waterfall at 133 meters.
Address: Nachiisan, Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama 649-5301, JapanWebsite Phone: +81 73-555-0321
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Shrine
3
Okuno-in
5.0(1)
Location: Koya, Wakayama
Current status: Always open
Goshuin: 1 Goshuin
Sacred mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism, located in Mount Koya. The site features a mystical cemetery with over 200,000 graves along a 2km forest path, ending at Torodo Hall with 10,000 lanterns and the master's eternal meditation.
Why you should go
Consider a nighttime visit for a completely different atmosphere, though be aware that the Torodo Hall and offering halls close at 5 PM, so you'll experience the cemetery under moonlight without access to the main worship spaces.
Plan to spend at least 2-3 hours if you want to walk the traditional 2-kilometer approach from Ichinohashi Bridge through the cemetery, or choose the shorter 1-kilometer route from Okunoin-mae bus stop if time is limited.
Bring coins (yen) if you want to make offerings at the Mizumuke Jizo statues or throw water on them as a memorial practice, and wear shoes you can walk in comfortably for extended periods since the cemetery paths are unpaved and can be uneven.
Address: 550 Kōyasan, Koya, Ito District, Wakayama 648-0211, JapanWebsite
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4
Kiyotaka Inari
Location: Koya, Wakayama
Goshuin: Goshuin
Small Inari shrine in central Koyasan dedicated to Kiyotaka Inari Daimyojin. A long tunnel of red torii gates lines the stone stairs climbing to its hillside hall, a short walk from the town’s temple lodgings.
Address: Kōyasan Road, Koyasan, Koya, Ito District, Wakayama 648-0211, Japan
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5
Shojoshin-in
Location: Koya, Wakayama
Goshuin: Goshuin
Shukubo temple nearest Ichinohashi, entrance to Okunoin, founded by Kukai and famed for a cherry tree linked to Hideyoshi. Guests can view Important Cultural Properties; daily goma ritual at 1pm.
Address: 566 Kōyasan, Koya, Ito District, Wakayama 648-0211, JapanWebsite Phone: +81736562006
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6
Aritoshi Jinja
5.0(1)
Location: Tanabe, Wakayama
Current status: Always open
Goshuin: Goshuin
A historic Shinto shrine in central Tanabe, revered as the local tutelary deity and celebrated as Japan’s foremost deity of wisdom through the Aritoshi legend associated with poet Ki no Tsurayuki.
Why you should go
Goshuin reception is officially listed from 9:00 to 17:00; seasonal designs are announced on the shrine website.
Address: 19-6 Minato, Tanabe, WakayamaWebsite Phone: +0739245072
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7
Mitsugon-in
Location: Koya, Wakayama
Opens at: Opens 08:00
Goshuin: Goshuin
Mitsugonin is a shukubo temple on Mount Koya, founded in 1132 by Kakuban, founder of Shingi Shingon. It is Koyasan’s only temple enshrining both Kakuban and Kukai, and stands beside Karukayado, a hall associated with the Ishidomaru legend. As a shukubo, it...
Address: 478 Kōyasan, Koya, Ito District, Wakayama 648-0211, JapanWebsite Phone: +81 73-656-2202
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8
Takahara Kumano Jinja
5.0(1)
Location: Tanabe, Wakayama
Current status: Always open
Goshuin: Goshuin
Takahara Kumano Shrine stands along the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodō pilgrimage in Tanabe, Wakayama. A Shinto shrine enshrining Kumano deities, it serves as an important waypoint on this UNESCO World Heritage trail used by pilgrims for over a millennium.
Why you should go
Plan your visit as part of the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodō pilgrimage rather than as a standalone stop, since the shrine functions as a waypoint for trekkers.
Bring sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support and moisture-wicking socks if you're walking the Nakahechi route to reach this shrine, as the mountain terrain is uneven and can be muddy even days after rain.
If you're photographing the shrine, be mindful that you're documenting a living sacred site on an active pilgrimage route, not a museum exhibit.
Address: 1120 Nakahechichō Takahara, Tanabe, Wakayama 646-1416, Japan
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