Mikoshi (portable shrine)
Ceremonial Procession
Spring at Wakayama Botanical Park Ryokka Center
The park covers a vast area of 10.23 hectares with many varieties and plants that can be enjoyed in all four seasons.
The 3,500 ㎡ flowerbeds contain approximately 20,000 plants and new varieties of flowers, a greenhouse with giant cacti, a rose garden, a hydrangea garden, and a “lotus pond.
In April and May, the flower beds are filled with Livingston daisies and other flowers, and azaleas can also be seen throughout the park.
The Four Devas at Chumon Gate of Koyasan, Wakayama
The Danjo Garan is the center of Koyasan, and is lined with various halls such as Kondo (Main Hall) and Konpon-daito Pagoda. The entrance to the temple is the Chumon Gate, which was reconstructed and inaugurated on April 2, 2015 as part of the project to commemorate the 1200th anniversary of the founding of Koyasan (the year 2015 is the 1200th anniversary of the founding of Koyasan).
The Four Devas, Jikokuten (Dhrtarastra, east), Zochoten (Virudhaka, south), Komokuten (Virupaksa, west), and Tamonten (Vaisravana, north) are enshrined at this gate.
Koyasan, World Heritage Site, in Wakayama
Koya, a sacred site of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, stretches over a mountainous upper basin surrounded by peaks about 1,000 meters above sea level, and was founded 1,200 years ago by Kobo Daishi, Kukai (774-835).
On July 7, 2004, the Koyasan pilgrimage routes, including the Choishimichi and Kongobuji Temple precincts (6 districts) and 12 structures, were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Kumano, Yoshino, and Omine as “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range”.
Furthermore, on October 24, 2016, Kurokawa-do, Nyonin-do, Kyodaisaka-do Fudosaka, and Mitasaka (including Niu Shuden Shrine) were additionally registered as World Heritage sites as Koya Pilgrimage Routes (including Choishimichi and renamed).
Comfortable Breeze in Kada, Wakayama
Have a stylish lunch outdoors at Honmachi Park
“the public” in the corner of Honmachi Park is a cafe and pub with the theme of “picnic”.
Nostalgic Area and Brand New Area in Wakayama City
It’s time to go hanami!
The cherry blossom viewing season has begun in earnest in Wakayama. The light red petals color Wakayama Castle.
Even on a weekday, many cherry blossom-viewing visitors enjoy the springtime on the grounds of the castle.
The “Omotenashi Ninjas,” who provide services to tourists, also work hard.
Birds and flowers seem to be sprawled out in the warm sunshine they have been waiting for.
Four New Tumulis Excavated at Kiifudoki-no-oka
Wakayama Prefectural Kiifudoki-no-oka has been conducting excavations of the Iwase Senzuka tumulus group since July 2021 in conjunction with the construction of the Prefectural Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (tentative).
The survey uncovered four new tombs, one of which is presumed to belong to a local authority. On March 26, a public information meeting was held for that tomb and another one.
Iwase Senzuka Tumulus Group consists of approximately 900 burial mounds which are built from around the end of the 4th century to the middle of the 7th century, on hills ranging from 80 to 150 meters above sea level.
Of the tombs discovered this time, the stone chamber of Maeyama B370 (tentative) is presumed to be an Iwase-type side-hole tomb, a 16-20 meter round burial mound, and experts believe that it was the tomb of an influential local person based on the secondary burial goods and its size.
The smaller Mayama B369 (tentative) is about 3 meters long and has a T-shaped stone chamber. This tomb is presumed to be a one-man burial mound.
Kiifudoki-no-oka plans to backfill and preserve these newly discovered tombs.
Nagashi-bina Event of Awashima Shrine
March 3rd is the Doll’s Festival, Japanese people display a set of dolls and pray for the sound growth of girls in the family.
On this day, the “Nagashi-biina” event is held at Awashima Shrine in Wakayama City, where hina dolls delivered from all over Japan are put on a boat and floated out to sea.
Originally, there was a Chinese custom of going to the waterfront on March 3, or the Peach Festival, to hold an exorcism ceremony, which was then introduced to Japan.
The shrine is also famous as a women’s power spot, offering prayers for women’s health, easy childbirth, and the fulfillment of love.
