How a Famous Scenic Coast Gave Its Name to an Entire City
Today, the name Wakayama is known around the world as the home of the Kumano Kodo, Koyasan, and one of Japan’s richest cultural landscapes.
But few visitors realize that the name “Wakayama” itself has a surprisingly recent origin.
Its story begins not with the city, but with the nearby coast of Wakaura.
Wakaura: A Landscape Celebrated for More Than a Thousand Years
Long before Wakayama Castle existed, Wakaura had already become one of Japan’s most admired scenic places.
As early as the ninth century, poets praised its beautiful coastline, tidal flats, pine-covered islands, and changing light. Its scenery appeared in imperial poetry anthologies and became one of Japan’s most celebrated utamakura—places associated with classical poetry.
For aristocrats in Kyoto, Wakaura represented far more than a beautiful view. It was a landscape that embodied the refined culture of waka, Japan’s classical poetry tradition.
The name “Wakaura” became famous throughout the country centuries before the city of Wakayama was established.
The Birth of the Name “Wakayama”
In 1585, after bringing Kii Province under his control, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered the construction of a new castle on a hill known as Okayama.
Historical records from this period contain what is considered the earliest known use of the name Wakayama.
The new castle was called Wakayama Castle, and scholars generally understand this name to have been inspired by the nearby Wakaura, whose beauty and literary fame were already well known across Japan.
In other words, the city did not give its name to Wakaura.
Instead, Wakaura gave its name to the castle—and eventually to the city itself.
A City Named After Poetry
This origin makes Wakayama unusual among Japanese castle towns.
Many cities were named after rivers, mountains, or administrative districts.
Wakayama, however, inherited its identity from a landscape famous for poetry.
The city’s very name reflects a place where nature and culture had already become inseparable long before the first castle walls were built.
Why This Story Still Matters Today
Visitors often experience Wakayama through its castle and Wakaura as separate destinations.
Yet historically, they are deeply connected.
Understanding this relationship changes the way you see the region.
When you stand on the shores of Wakaura, you are looking at the landscape that inspired generations of poets—and ultimately gave an entire city its name.
It is a reminder that in Wakayama, history is not only preserved in castles and temples. It is also written into the landscape itself.
Read More About Wakayama
- Where to Go Directly from Kansai Airport (Hidden Gems in Japan)
- Best Areas to Stay in Wakayama, Japan
- A Day in Wakayama Through Omakase
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