Kuroshio fish market, Wakayama city, Japan

Stayed in Wakayama city on the last day and visited Kuroshio market.

tuna filleting show, Kuroshio market

Another fish market with a food court, and barbecue area. The only attraction for me is the tuna filleting shows, 3 times everyday, to learn how to cut up whole bonito (small size fish in the tuna family) in the future. 

tuna filleting show, Kuroshio market

tuna filleting show, Kuroshio market

tuna filleting show, Kuroshio market

tuna filleting show, Kuroshio market

The cut up fish is turned into sashimi and sushi on the spot for purchase. I asked, it is also a farmed tuna!

Kushimoto big island, south Wakayama, Japan

fishing village at Kushimoto big island

The big island is joined to the peninsular by a bridge, there are many tiny, quaint old fishing villages all around the coast, and a light house at the eastern tip. There is no grand sightseeing spots, just a peaceful area.

fishing village at Kushimoto big island

Saw a sign for a seasonal local lobster served in one of the fishing village, had a wonderful lobster tempura meal in a simple restaurant. 

lobster tempura set meal

However, there are many fish farms in the bays, and fish traps to catch fish alive. Many fish are farm here but the most famous is blue fin tuna. 

fish trap

Indeed in the Toretore fish market, most of the sashimi grade tuna, especially the fatty types, are from farmed tuna. When eating in a Japanese restaurant, it has never come to my mind that I am probably eating farmed tuna!

blue fin tuna farm, fish food feeder

Kushimoto coast, south Wakayama,Japan

This southern coastline of Kii peninsular is spectacular, clear blue sea with rocks protruding in a mesmerizing way. Unfortunately the highway is right next to the coastline, which sort of spoiled the atmosphere, and there are not that many spots to stop and admire the scenery. 

Hashigui-iwa rock 橋杭岩

Hashigui-iwa rock 橋杭岩

 
Splendid row of volcano rock across the blue sea, like pillars of a non existent bridge.

Hashigui-iwa rock 橋杭岩

Susami rocks

Susami rocks

Another spot near Susami to have a good view of this rock formation.




Black sand beach

Just south of Shirahama city, that has a beautiful curved white sand beach, is this magnificent black sand beach.




 
This area is mountainous and have a lot of springs with few farming activities. The many rivers in the area I have seen are all pristine clear.

river along Kushimoto coast

river along Kushimoto coast

Damon-zaka slope to Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, Shingo, Wakayama Japan

Another popular short but scenic hike in the Kumano-Kodo trail. 

Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine

Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine

Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine

The grand shrine, with big and small buildings, are all built with beautiful proportions, using natural materials like rice straw roof and wooden beam construction, is well worth a close look.

Nachi waterfall

The Nachi waterfall is not at it peak power, hence not a highlight of the hike at this time of the year. It is the ancient well walked stone trail, lined with giant pine trees, that are magnificent. 

Damon-zaka slope

Damon-zaka slope

Hosshinmin-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, Wakayama Japan

Hosshinmin-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine

A 2.5 hours hike among tall pine forest in a path made 300 years ago, linking many shrines along the route, for purifying the spirit.

Hosshinmin-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine

Hosshinmin-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine

Very peaceful and atmospheric, with distance mountain view.
 

Hosshinmin-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine

The grand shrine uses rice straw as roofing material shaped into curved edges, good subtle earth tone, very pleasing to the eyes.

Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand shrine

 

Omasake, Kojo sushi, Shingu city, Wakayama Japan

In Wakayama area, most restaurants do not have an English menu, nor staff that speaks English, so it is hard to order interesting dishes using local seasonal ingredients.

Omakase is the best way to solve the problem when you can’t read Japanese, and tied of ordering the same things you know while other guests are having interesting dishes.

Leave it to the chef, price range from 2000 to 5000 yen. 

Omasake, Kojo sushi, sashimi

Omasake, Kojo sushi, chicken

Omasake, Kojo sushi, fried fish

Omasake, Kojo sushi, hot pot

Omasake, Kojo sushi,

Omasake, Kojo sushi, sushi

Omasake, Kojo sushi, sea urchin on beef

 

Shingu city, east Wakayama, Japan

Continue with the original travel plan to stay at Shingu city, to hike various sections of the Kumano-Kodo trail, the second UNESCO site in the area.

hike up to Kamikura-jinja shrine

hike up to Kamikura-jinja shrine

First do the one near the town, hiked up steep old stone path to Kamikura-jinja shrine, a small shrine up in the hill with a good panoramic view of Shingu city, the sea and forest.

 Kamikura-jinja shrine

view of Shingu city

 

Shirahama Toretore fish market

Shirahama Toretore fish market

 
It is not a wholesale fish market, but a fresh fish market with a large area for packaged food and even bigger food court, serving mostly seafood, so it is a tourist oriented establishment, one of many in this peninsula. 

Shirahama toretore fish market

Shirahama toretore fish market

Shirahama toretore fish market

There is also a self service barbecue area to cook the just purchased fresh seafood.

Octopus tempura, Ko sushi 幸鮨 Shirahama city

Ko sushi, Shirahama city

The best sushi in town, a confident chef who speaks some English. Ordered a tasting of sashimi and sushi, all delicious. Very skillful preparation, some natural, some marinated, some partly grilled etc.

miso on fish, Ko sushi, Shirahama

The most amazing is his preparation of octopus, which is normally beaten or frozen, then cooked to death to soften it in all other countries.

octopus leg finely cut, Ko sushi Shirahama

He has it fresh, cut the skin off octopus leg, make very fine cuts all along it but still attached, cut into segments and serve as tempura. It is just cooked, much more tasty than the long cooked version, and a bit al-dente.

fresh octopus leg tempura, Ko sushi, Shirahama

 

Shirahama city, west Wakayama Japan

Because of the snow, changed plan to stay the night at Shirahama city, with a curved white sand beach and is a famous onsen area.

Shirahama beach sunset in snow

Just in time to enjoy sunset at the beach, while snowing, white snow on white sand.

Shirahama beach in the morning

Koya-san 高野山，north Wakayama, Japan

This area in the middle of the mountains with many thousand years old Buddhist temples is one of the UNESCO sites. Booked to stay in one of the temples to experience the atmosphere, the vegetarian meal and walk in the Okuno-in forest with old tall cedar trees among graveyards.
 

on the way up to Koyasan temple area

Unfortunately it started snowing in the morning and on the way up the hill to the temple, the snow has piled up. The rental car is at it's limit of managing this un-forecasted situation.

Koyasan Eko-in temple

Driving gingerly all the way up and on arrival at the temple, the monks confirmed that snowing will continue and for our car, it would be hard to leave the day after.

Okuno-in forest with cedar trees

Decided to cancel the stay, just had a peep at the forest entrance with the magnificent tall cedar trees and returned downhill, gingerly.

Okuno-in forest with cedar trees