Japan’s Kansai area presents a conundrum. On one hand, it’s dwelling to a number of the nation’s hottest—and, by vacationers anyway, populated—locations, specifically Kyoto and Osaka.
Alternatively, a lot of Kansai even barely off the vacationer path is totally unspoiled, together with cities and cities accessible straight by way of practice from its main cities.
On the subject of going off this area’s overwhelmed path, to make sure, the competition between Wakayama vs Nara may appear to havre a transparent winner—the latter, in any case, is without doubt one of the busiest day journey locations anyplace in Japan. However for causes I’m about to elucidate, this conclusion isn’t essentially correct.
Nara is (Largely) Off the Crushed Path
Earlier than I dig into serving to you select between Wakayama or Nara, permit me to drop a bomb on you: Exterior of central Nara metropolis (and a few different locations), Nara prefecture is rural and undiscovered. I understand this may come as a shock, in case your solely recollections of the place are on a day journey. strolling by way of Nara Park surrounded by tons of of deer and tens of hundreds of different people.
If I’m sincere, in truth, even town of Nara itself clears out dramatically within the evenings and early mornings, given that almost all guests are simply there for the day from Kyoto or Osaka. This actuality additionally applies to Yoshino; if you mix it from the perpetually uncrowded state of locations like the traditional city of Asuka, you understand that the battle between Nara and Wakayama is loads fairer than it would formally seem like.
Nara
Methods to Examine Wakayama with Nara
Ease of entry
Relying on the place within the prefecture you’re headed (extra on choices in a second), each Nara and Wakayama are very simply accessible. You possibly can attain Nara Metropolis, for instance, by way of direct JR practice from Kyoto (Nara Line) or Osaka (Yamatoji Line), in addition to Kintetsu trains from each cities. Koyasan (Wakayama’s hottest vacation spot), in the meantime, is straight linked to Osaka’s Nankai Namba Station by way of the Nankai Koya Line.
Bases and lodging
After all, simply since you’re visiting Wakayama and Nara doesn’t imply you’ll base your self atop Mt. Koya or in Nara Metropolis. In Nara, for instance, you possibly can select to remain on or close to the cherry blossom paradise of Mt. Yoshino. Wakayama, too, gives a number of potential bases. Keep in Shirahama if you wish to prioritize the seashore; the cities of Kii-tanabe, Chikatsuyu, Hongu and Shingu can all host you for an evening (or two) mountain climbing the Kumano Kodo.
Day journeys and excursions
Talking of the Kumano Kodo, the excellent news is that should you don’t have a number of days on your trek, you’ll be able to go by way of day journey to any variety of locations alongside it. The best of those is Nachi Taisha, the so-called “Waterfall Pagoda” close to Kii-Katsura metropolis. From Nara Metropolis, in the meantime, each the aforementioned Mt. Yoshino and Asuka are accessible as day journeys.
Seasonal magnificence
Whether or not you select Nara or Wakayama, you’ll be able to take pleasure in a wide range of surroundings relying upon you go to. Central Nara and its deer are most resplendent underneath the sakura of spring or autumn’s scarlet maples. In Wakayama, prime cherry blossom spots embody Wakayama Metropolis and the lower-lying parts of the Kumano Kodo; Koyasan, although it’s dwelling to some sakura bushes, is most seasonally stunning in autumn and winter.
Onward extensions
Your journey might start in Wakayama or Nara, but it surely needn’t finish there. From Nara, you’ll be able to simply proceed to Wakayama, or go within the different path to Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo or Shiga. From Wakayama, in the meantime, you’ll be able to proceed across the Kii Peninsula into equally underrated Mie prefecture, or proceed northward from there to Nagoya, the place prefectures like Gifu and Shizuoka are only a quick onward practice trip away.
Wakayama
How Lengthy Do You Want in Nara? What About Wakayama?
For Nara, timing is the largest think about whether or not your journey feels frenzied and worrying, or completely stress-free. As I referenced earlier, spending the night time in Nara can, all by itself, change all the temper of your time within the metropolis. Even should you don’t go anyplace exterior town heart, this may permit you to benefit from the uncrowded late night and early morning at main points of interest, which leads to them feeling like they belong to you.
That is much less vital within the case of Wakayama, except you might be actually simply going to Koyasan for the day. For instance, even on a run-of-the-mill four-day, three-night journey alongside the Kumano Kodo, you’ll really feel like you might be deep within the wilderness and much off the overwhelmed path. The benefit of an extended Wakayama journey is that it opens up extra locations; there’s merely extra to discover right here than there’s in Nara.
Different FAQ About Nara and Wakayama
Is Wakayama, Japan price visiting?
Wakayama is without doubt one of the most underrated components of Japan—it’s utterly price visiting, significantly if in case you have time to discover the prefecture past Mt. Koya, its most well-known vacation spot. This may embody mountain climbing the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, or hitting the seashore in Shirahama.
Is Nara actually price it?
Nara is unquestionably price visiting in a common sense, nonetheless making a number of straightforward modifications to your journey can take it to the subsequent degree. These embody staying the night time there, as an alternative of simply taking a day journey from Kyoto or Osaka, and visiting rural Nara locations corresponding to Mt. Yoshino and Asuka.
How lengthy to spend in Wakayama?
Wakayama is a big and largely unexplored a part of Japan, which gives countless treasures to vacationers who take the time to find it. I’d recommend spending a minimal of 5-7 days in Wakayama to find its treasures, which embody holy Mt. Koya, the sacred Kumano Kodo pilgrimage and exquisite Shirarahama Seaside.
The Backside Line
Evaluating Wakayama vs Nara isn’t as clear-cut as it would seem on the floor. That is initially as a result of so many vacationers see town of Nara (some of the crowded locations anyplace in Japan) and Nara prefecture as one in the identical—they’re not. In contrast, sure locations in Wakayama (specifically, Mt. Koya) have turn out to be so common that they straight contradict the picture of that prefecture as a sleepy backwater. In the end, each of those spectacular sections of southeastern Kansai are nice locations to get off the busy area’s overwhelmed path. Want personalised assist integrating them into your journey? Take into account commissioning a customized Japan itinerary immediately!