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Learn about Historical Sites…
There are many beautiful temples and shrines with lots of history.
Let’s make the rounds of the historical sites and learn about the local legends.

The places you must see at Kokawa Temple.
Kokawa 2787 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-73-4830 (main temple building)Free (Payment necessary for entering the main temple building)
Kokawa Temple is one of the thirty-three Saigoku (Kansai region) area pilgrimage sites for the deity
Kannon (also known as Guanyin). The great outer gate, inner gate, main temple building, andSenshu-Do are registered as Important Cultural Assets. You will also learn that there is a picture
scroll about Kokawa Temple which is a national treasure. You will enjoy the scenic beauty of thegarden.

Donan-Do
Donan-Do consists of a main building and an auditorium which are painted in red and white. The
ceiling and wall paintings are indescribably beautiful. The deity Donan is the main object of worshipand a ceremony where Donan is brought out for display is held on December 18th every year.

Kokawa Temple Garden (Nationally Recognized Garden)This garden is constructed with a variety of exquisite stones found in the Kishu region, such as
Crystalline Schist, Purpurite of Kotoura, and Ryumon Rock.

Kokawa Temple Inner-Gate (Important Cultural Asset)
This inner gate with a gable roof was made in 1832. As you can see the gate is delicately made fromthe top to the bottom with high quality wood. This is a building sacred to the Four Devas.

Kokawa Temple Great Outer-Gate (Important Cultural Asset)
This gate is registered as an Important Cultural Asset and was built in 1707. It is the most majestic
gate in Wakayama next to the ones at Mt. Koya and Negoro Temple. Each side has a wooden
standing statue of Kongo RIkishi made by a sculptor of Buddhist images, Kasuga.

Ex-Minamioka Family House
This building used to be a house for government oﬃcials at the end of the Edo Period. The oﬃcers
who lived here handled the food for the hawks used for falconry. Although this kind of building isbarely preserved due to damage over the years, it has great value. In the exhibition room, there areitems that were left such as ropes and gloves for training the hawks. You can learn about thehistory of the oﬃcial hawk falconry around this area through the materials and tools they actuallyused.
If you hope to visit here, please contact the Shogai Gakushu-ka (Life-long Study Section), ﬁve days
before your visit.
0736-77-2511

Kokawa Temple Historical Scroll (National Treasure)This scroll tells you the origin of Kokawa Temple. This is a highly valuable painted scroll with somecolors. Its size is about 30 centimeters wide and 20 meters long. It has a series of pictures andexplanations. As a whole it tells you about two stories involving miracles. The ﬁrst part is about theappearance of the deity Kannon and the second part is about the Kawachi family magnate. The real
scroll is now preserved in Kyoto National Museum. However, we have 21 stone monuments withpictures and explanations along the street from Kokawa Station to Kokawa Temple.

The sacred tree standing for more than a thousand years.
Feel the power of nature!
The sacred place…
The camphor tree in front of the Great Outer-Gate has been there for more than a thousand years
and is registered by the nature conservation group. This is one of the largest trees in Wakayama
Prefecture. It is still standing there as if it was a gatekeeper of the temple. Please come to see it
and feel the power of nature under the tree. You may think of the old times it has lived through.

Nagata-Kannon-Temple
Besshiyo 58 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-73-3566

0736-77-5706
Free
Kasuga-Shrine is highly valued in the aspect of religion and history. In the early years of the
Kamakura period, when an epidemic was a huge problem, they welcomed the divided spirit of
Kongo Temple in Nara with the hope that it would drive away the pestilence. The buildings standquietly in a vast area. They hold an autumn festival in mid-October.

Nagata-Kannon-Temple is famous as the temple that expels evil spirits. Therefore, people call it“ward-oﬀ-evil-Kannon” in Japanese. In old times, this temple was the place to pray for the
Tokugawa family in the Kishu area. The principle image of this temple is Nyoirin Kannon. Many
people visit here on Hatsuuma and Ninouma Festival days. This place is well-known for cherry trees.
You can see a lot of Sakura (cherry blossoms) in spring.

Mihune-Shrine (Important Cultural Asset)
Momoyama-cho Koda 101
0736-66-1620
Free

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Tomobuchi-Hachiman-shrine (Important Cultural Asset)
Nakatomobuchi 58
0736-79-0198
Free
Although the shrine was originally for a guardian god of the Tomobuchi area in the Shinto religion,in 1228 Princess Tsuruchiyo, who was a woman loved by the emperor, was allowed to possess adivision of Iwashimizu Hachimangu-Shrine in Kyoto. They preserved the Mikoshi (portable shrine)
called Ikakejiradenkondousoushinyo. This was made in the late Heian period and is registered as anational treasure. You must see the solemn buildings which were built during the Muromachi
period.

Kishigawa-Hachiman-Shrine
Kishigawa-cho Kishimiya 1124
0736-64-3114
FreeThis shrine is historically important because you can see the relics of the ancient religious rites. It
gives us an idea of the Japan-speciﬁc religious history and the customs related to it. You probably
see the gardens on both sides when you go up to the main building. The decorative rocks there are
made from Surpentinite produced around this area.

Okuninushi-Shrine
Kishigawa-cho Kunishi 1
Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-64—6775
FreeThis shrine is related to the legend of Okuninushi-no-Mikoto in Izumo. Its other name is Okunissan
for local people. The main building has a raised-ﬂoor-style stage for Shinto music and dance. During
the Edo period, this stage was used for divine services. This shrine is famous for their traditional
festival Omeshimorimono-Festival.

The legendary, unique festival of Kishigawa from the Kamakura period.
Omeshimorimono-Festival
Omeshimorimono-Festival is a traditional festival from the end of the Kamakura period. We oﬀer
Morimono (Height of approximately ﬁve meters, width of three meters. An electric bulb-shaped
object made from bamboo wrapped in a straw sheet with rice cakes surrounding it.). It is oﬀered to
the god of the festival. It is a very rare ceremony performed in Japan. This festival is recognized by
the people of Kinokawa City as a cultural treasure.

Nate-Hachiman-Shrine
Anabushi 463 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-75-2477
FreeThis shrine surrounded by mighty trees has a row of halls for worship and the main building. People
believe that a local guardian deity is there and it helps to support their emotional statements. It
holds various seasonal religious services and festivals. It attracts many people to the shrine in thesacred woods.

Rekishi-Minzoku-Shiryokan (Historical Folk Museum)
Higashikokubu 671 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-77-0090
Free
9:00-16:00
Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays (open on national holidays, next day closed)
End-of-Year and New Year’s holidays
Under Emperor Tenmu’s order in 741 Kokubun-temples were established in each of the 60
provinces. There used to be one in Kinokawa-shi. Now, next to the historical site, there is theHistorical Folk Museum that shows you the ancient culture, history, and life of Kinokawa City
through archaeological materials and artifacts.

Kasuga-Shrine
Nakamitani 808 Kinokawa-city Wakayama-ken

This building was built using a method from the Momoyama era. All three roofs of the building arecovered with Japanese cypress bark which is characteristic of this temple. Each construction is invery vivid colors with marvelous sculptures on them. Therefore the value of the buildings
themselves is very high.

Kai-Shrine
Jinryo 272 Kinokawa-city Wakayama-ken
0736-77-3928
Free
Kai-Shrine has been here since the beginning of the Heian period around 794. The deities the shrine
is dedicated to are Toyotamahiko-no-Mikoto (God of the Sea from Japanese mythology) andKunitsuhime-no-Mikoto. An autumn festival is held annually in mid-October.

Kokawa-Ubusuna-Shrine
Kokawa 2788 Kinokawa-city Wakayama-ken
0736-73-2415
Free
Kokawa-Ubusuna-Shrine’s god has been considered a guardian god around the Kokawa area andKokawa-Temple. Kokawa Festival which is one of the three biggest festivals in Kishu is annually heldat this place in the ancient style. The beautiful Kasuga-zukuri construction dates from the middle of
the Edo period. People call the mountain behind the shrine Mt. Fumo or Kazaragi, and a sutra
mound was found there.

Kyu-Nateshuku-Honjin (ex-government oﬃcial inn in Nate)

Nateichiba 649 Kinokawa-city Wakayama-ken
0736-75-3129
Free
10:00-16:00
Closed on Tuesdays (open on national holidays, next day closed)
End-of-Year and New Year’s holidays
This ex-government oﬃcial inn is of historically great value. The building was facing Yamato-road
which used to lead to the center of the government, so oﬃcials in old times stayed here. The mainbuilding and the parlor are Important Cultural Assets. Also, the whole site is registered as a
National Historic Site.

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Payment necessary

Having fun

Let’s enjoy camping and hiking in nature. You will relish the view each season in Kinokawa City
where the time passes slowly.

Mt. Katsuragi…
At the Kojima Intersection on National Route 24, you take the road to the north for 30 minutes by
car or from Kaminogo IC (Interchange) via the Ringokisenkougensen Route that is roughly 19 km(about 35 minutes).
0736-33-2511
There is a walking path to the observation tower and Ryuo Shrine along the beautiful beech forest.
This mountain shows you great seasonal scenery and hiking lovers come to walk through thewalking path.

Mt. Katsuragi Observatory (free)
You are able to see Awaji, Kobe, and even Nara in ﬁne weather from the observatory near the topof the mountain. It is quite a grand view!

Mt. Ryumon0736-77-2511
When it is clear, the view from the top is wonderful. Also you can see Awaji-island from the hiking
course. We recommend you to stop by Kaza-ana (wind hole) and Myojin-iwa (Myojin-rock) andother spots along the route.

Recommended route from Kowaka Station
Distance about 14.8 km
Time about six hours and 20 minutes

Kaza-ana (Wind hole)
The cave which has many legends.

Jishaku-iwa (magnet-rock)
This rock is near the mountaintop. It is registered as a Natural Treasure by Wakayama Prefecture. It
is called Magnet-Rock because it contains magnetic force.

Myojin-iwa (Myojin-rock)
This is the biggest Serpentinite rock in this mountain. You can see a great view of the city below
your eyes.

Gifu Butterﬂy
Gifu Butterﬂies are an endangered species. Mt. Ryumon is the only place you can see thesebutterﬂies in Wakayama.

Kiishimotsuke is an indigenous plant of Wakayama. You can see this plant on the upper half of Mt.
Ryumon. It will bloom with white ﬂowers over the period from late May to early June.

Strawberry picking
Ichigogari-house Kishigawa-cho Kodo
Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
About 15 minutes by foot from Kishigawa Station
0736-64-7212 (Kishigawa Sightseeing Strawberry Picking Association)
February to mid-May 9:00-15:00 (entry by 14:00)
Outside of the above period please call 0736-64-8787 (Kishigawa Sightseeing Center)…
Strawberries are a specialty of Kishigawa Town in Kinokawa City. We recommend you try them atthe strawberry picking house! It must be very fun to have very fresh and tasty strawberries withyour family or friends. Please make a good memory and enjoy our sweet and fresh fruit!
�Yummy�

Rental Bikes
Available at●Torii Camera store in front of Kokawa Station (JR Wakayama Line)●Studio Fujihira in front of Iwade Station (JR Wakayama Line)● Natural Food store Shion in front of Kishi Station (JR Wakayama Line)
090-9217-7476 (Kinokawa Cycling Club) Please reserve up until two days before.

Sakura Ike (Sakura-Pond)0736-77-2511
The name “Sakura-Pond” comes from the name of this area Sakurada (Sakura-Field). The ﬁrst
feudal lord in the Kishu area made this pond as a reservoir which is the biggest in Wakayama.
Nowadays many people come here for bass ﬁshing from Wakayama and Osaka.

Mt. Yuri
There are the ruins of an old battleﬁeld and a viewing location on the top. The lovely scenerylooking down at the town cannot be missed. The hiking path called “Rekishi-no-Michi” (Path ofHistory) goes under cherry trees and Japanese maple trees. Those trees attract people in springwith cherry blossoms and foliage in autumn. In the beginning of April the Mt. Yuri Flower Festival isheld and at the end of November the Mt. Yuri Walk Rally is held every year.

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Hosono-Keiryu Campground
Kaito 258-1 Momoyama-cho
Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-67-0070
9:00-17:00
This campground assures that everyone will love its loca on where it faces a limpid stream andfeatures great nature. You will enjoy the sounds of the river, being in clear water, and going ﬁshing.
Depending on the number of people we have some op ons such as camping houses for ﬁve andten people. There are also auto campsites and spots for people who have their own tents. A coinoperated shower and ﬁeld kitchens are available here.

Camping house
With your reser

on, you do not have to bring your own tent.

Auto campsites
Fireﬂies
In June you can see many ﬁreﬂies along Makuni River.

Highland Park Kokawa
Nakatsugawa 802 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-73-7948
9:00-17:00
Closed on Tuesdays
Free
Payment necessary for barbecue and for observatory entry.
Highland Park Kokawa is the place people get together and have a relaxing me located on the
Osaka-Wakayama prefectural border. You will ﬁnd that this place gives you a wonderful panoramicview of nature from the observatory. There are camping sites, an outdoor stage, and some otherrecrea onal facili es. This park is ready to give you great outdoor experiences.

Shiseki Kiikokubun Temple Relics and Historical Park
Higashikokubu 682-6 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-64-9163

This temple in Higashikokubu was one of the temples built by Emperor Temnu on his pe on forthe spiritual protec on of the country. The original building was standing at the place where thecurrent one stands. The ex-precincts are recognized as a Na onal Relic Site and became a historicalpark. There is a historical folk museum next to the park where you can learn about the local history.

Atago-Pond Sports Park
Kitawaki 1068 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-75-2221
This park is halfway up the mountain where some parts are for a tangerine planta on. There are
sports ﬁelds and parks for baseball with hard rubber balls, soccer, tennis, Japanese croquet andother sports. They hold sports events and there are no genera onal boundaries.

Naga Sports Recrea on Center
Tsukatsuki 12 Momoyama-cho Kinokawa-shi Wakayam-ken
0736-66-2420
10:00-21:00 (closed at 18:00 on Sundays)
Closed on Mondays and holidays
This recrea on center was opened with the hope to oﬀer opportun es for people looking for aplace and opportunity for enjoying sports. There is a play ﬁeld, park for children, Japanese
trad onal garden, ﬁeld with night lights, and an outdoor and indoor swimming pool.

Togenkyo Sports Park
Mogami 1147-11 Momoyama-cho Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-66-2558
9:00-17:00 (from May to August 9:00-19:00)
This park is a ached to an athle c ﬁeld. This spacious ﬁeld lets you relax in nature. The ar cialriver going through the park makes the atmosphere even be er. Many people come to join theTogenkyo Marathon held here in April.

Contacts for golf courses and campgrounds

Golf courses
Kinokuni Country Club
Tsukatsuki 2506 Momoyama-cho Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-67-0146

Kishigawa Golf Club
Amatera 898 Kishigawa-cho Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-64-4925
Kisen Country Club
Kasukami 411-34 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-73-5924

Campgrounds
Highland Park Kokawa Campground
Nakatsugawa 802 Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-73-7948
Hosono-Keiryu Campground Management Associa on
Kaito 258-1 Momoyama-cho
Kinokawa-shi Wakayama-ken
0736-67-0070