Winter

SEASONS

Escape winter chills. Indulge in seafood, hot-pot (nabe) dishes and thermal hot springs in Wakayama - one of Japan’s oldest and best onsen destinations.

Onsen Winter Festivals Winter Seafood Fare Longtooth Grouper Ume Blossoms Winter Wonders Mandarin Oranges in Winter View All

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Onsen

Invigorating for both body and mind, Wakayama is home to some of the top thermal hot spring regions in Japan. The variety of geothermal wonders, set in unspoilt natural backdrops, is sure to satisfy.

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Hamachidori-no-yu Kaishu

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Onsen

Invigorating for both body and mind, Wakayama is home to some of the top thermal hot spring regions in Japan. The variety of geothermal wonders, set in unspoilt natural backdrops, is sure to satisfy.

Browse Onsen

Winter Festivals

Interested to see culture in action? The Oto-matsuri night-time festival will undoubtedly leave an impression - white-clad men carrying flaming pine torches run pell-mell down the steep shrine steps.

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Winter Seafood Fare

Winter’s gourmet repertoire includes the gangster of the sea, and a spiny crustacean. This curious and delectable pair are the spiny lobster and the moray eel landed at Wakayama’s ports.

Winter Seafood Fare

Winter’s gourmet repertoire includes the gangster of the sea, and a spiny crustacean. This curious and delectable pair are the spiny lobster and the moray eel landed at Wakayama’s ports.

Longtooth Grouper

In stark contrast to the longtooth grouper's (kue) distinctly unpleasant appearance, it has beautifully white, fatty flesh and a rich, refined flavor. Find it featuring as a signature ingredient in a wintery hot pot (nabe), or as sashimi (raw fish) or karage (deep fried).

Ume Blossoms

Well-known for producing ume (an apricot-like fruit sometimes also known as Japanese plum), Minabe and Tanabe boast numerous ume orchards including Japan's largest. In February, the orchards turn white with blossom, and the scent of ume fills the air. It is the symbol flower of Wakayama Prefecture.

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Winter Wonders

Nature’s wonders never cease to amaze, like the phenomenon known as hoarfrost. Look out onto a vista stretching from Koyasan to Ryujin, where trees sparkle, appearing as if they had bloomed with flowers of ice.

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Mandarin Oranges in Winter

For some 400 years Wakayama’s farmers have cultivated a culture of quality. The Arida mikan is the proof, one of Japan’s sweetest mandarin oranges. Visit Arida’s hillside orchards that look out onto the vast Pacific Ocean.

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