【Wakayama Castle Travel Guide】Enjoy Scenic Views Where Wakayama’s History, Culture, and Nature Come Together

Wakayama Castle was built by Hidenaga Toyotomi, younger brother of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, under instructions from Hideyoshi after he pacified Kishu (present-day Wakayama Prefecture) in 1585.
Along with the castle’s construction, Hideyoshi renamed the area, then called “Wakayama,” from “Wakayama” to “Wakayama.”
In 1600, after the Battle of Sekigahara ended, Yoshinaga Asano became the lord of the castle, and construction of the linked-tower keep and the Honmaru (main bailey) progressed.
In 1619, Yorinobu Tokugawa, the 10th son of Ieyasu Tokugawa, entered the castle, and the Kishu Tokugawa clan was established.
The Kishu Tokugawa clan was one of the “Tokugawa Gosanke,” three branches of the Tokugawa family ranked just below the shogun’s house in the Edo period.
After that, it served as the Tokugawa family’s castle for Approx. 250 years.

Nishinomaru Garden, located in Wakayama Castle Park, is one of Japan’s finest gardens and is designated a national Place of Scenic Beauty.
It was created in the early Edo period by Yorinobu Tokugawa as a place to enjoy tea ceremony and Noh theater.
It is a strolling pond garden style (a garden built around a large pond), featuring thoughtful designs that make use of the land’s characteristics, such as a two-tiered pond and a waterfall fed by spring water.
Its charm includes the En-gyokaku pond pavilion floating within the moat, and scenic views created by bridges spanning multiple ponds.
Also known as Momijidani Garden, it lives up to its name in autumn, when the leaves turn brilliant colors—don’t miss the breathtaking view of fall foliage reflected in the pond and waterfall.

Ohashi Roka is a corridor bridge connecting the Nishinomaru, where the lord enjoyed hobbies, and the Ninomaru Ooku, the living quarters.
In the Edo period, only a limited number of people, such as the lord, could use it, so it was built with a roof and walls so it couldn’t be seen from outside.
It is rare nationwide for its diagonal slope of Approx. 11 degrees, and it has steps to prevent slipping.
Restored in 2006 based on Edo-period drawings, it can now be crossed freely, so be sure to experience the Approx. 11-degree incline for yourself.

Wakayama Castle’s keep features a main keep and a smaller keep connected by a Tamon Yagura (connecting turret), and it has been selected as one of Japan’s Three Great Linked-Tower Keeps.
From the striking white, three-story main keep, panoramic views of Wakayama’s cityscape stretch out in all directions.
Inside, many items are on display, including arms and armor and old documents associated with the Kishu Tokugawa clan, letting you feel Wakayama’s history.
It was destroyed in the 1945 Wakayama air raid, and the current keep was rebuilt in 1958 with the same exterior as before the air raid.

Wakayama Rekishikan is Wakayama Castle’s main guidance facility.
On the first floor, you’ll find tourist information and a souvenir center, while the second floor houses a history exhibition room where you can learn about Wakayama Castle’s history and culture.
A wide range of historical materials are on display, including the “Gold Seal handed down in the Kishu Tokugawa clan” and the “Wakayama History Picture Scroll,” along with relics and maps related to Wakayama Castle.
It’s also appealing that you can learn through hands-on experiences, not just by looking, such as the screening of “Wakayama Castle Revived,” which recreates the Edo-period castle in VR, and a faithful reproduction of the tea room “Jissai-an.”

Wakayama Castle’s stone walls are famous for the many engraved marks you can see.
Approx. 170 types and over 2,100 marks have been identified, and a key feature is that they’re engraved not only on the front, but across every surface, including the top, bottom, and sides.
The designs vary widely, from symbols resembling circles and triangles to family crests, personal names, and what are thought to be dates and directions.
There are many theories about why they were carved, such as magical meanings or ownership marks, but the truth remains unclear.
Search for these marks as you walk, and imagine the meaning behind the patterns.

This zoo has been loved by Wakayama residents for over 100 years, dating back to the Taisho era.
Located within the grounds of Wakayama Castle, it keeps and exhibits 21 mammal species (79 animals), 26 bird species (83 animals), and 2 reptile species (5 animals).
It’s a small, Showa-retro zoo, but its cozy, welcoming atmosphere is well loved, and on weekends it gets busy with families and visitors touring Wakayama Castle stopping by.
Its free admission is another reason it’s so popular.

An art museum that mainly features modern and contemporary art from the Meiji period onward.
It houses a collection of over 10,000 works, focusing on local artists from Wakayama Prefecture, including Ryumon Yasuda from Kinokawa City, Western-style painter Kigai Kawaguchi known for abstract work, and avant-garde Japanese-style painter Ryushi Kawabata.

A museum that collects and exhibits cultural assets connected to Wakayama Prefecture.
It originated as a prefectural art museum established in 1963, and the current facility, designed by Kisho Kurokawa, opened in 1994.
Wakayama Castle is nearby, and The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama is next door, so it’s recommended to visit them together.

A shop and eatery located in front of Wakayama Castle’s main keep.
It was named “O-Tensu Chaya” because in the Wakayama dialect, the castle keep is called “otensu.”
In the shop, you can buy castle-themed items, including chaya-exclusive goshuin-style castle stamps and Yoshimune’s warlord stamps, as well as cards printed with quizzes about Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Ieyasu Tokugawa.
Recommended menu items include Kishu Ume Udon made with plum noodles topped with Nanko ume, Kumano Beef gyudon, and soft serve made with raw milk from Wakayama Kurosawa Farm.

Marui Junibanchoten is a ramen shop serving Wakayama ramen.
Marui Junibanchoten was also featured as a Michelin Plate in the Michelin Guide Wakayama 2022.
The signature menu item is the “Chashu Men.”
Straight, medium-thick noodles mix with the rich tonkotsu-shoyu soup, enhancing the noodles’ texture and umami.

Yamatame Shokudo, located in central Wakayama City, is a restaurant serving chuka soba and set meals.
Founded in 1953, it’s a long-established spot that has been loved by locals for many years.
With a homey atmosphere, it’s easy to drop in for an everyday meal.
The specialty is the “Chuka Soba,” also known as “Wakayama ramen.”

With a long history dating back to before World War II, Wakayama ramen has become firmly established as a soul food among locals.
This bowl—pairing a rich tonkotsu-shoyu soup with springy, straight thin noodles and topped with colorful kamaboko fish cake—is one of Japan’s best-known regional ramen styles.