Wakayama: The World Discovers Japan’s Spiritual Heartland | JAPAN Forward

Many visitors to Japan make it a point to see Kyoto and Tokyo. But just next door to Osaka, not far from Kyoto and an hour from Tokyo by plane, lies a spiritual place filled with nature and tradition: Wakayama Prefecture.



This region, filled with history and commonly known as the spiritual heartland of Japan, is gaining world attention as a must-see destination. It was awarded Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018, and this year it is part of the Airbnb 19 Destinations to Visit in 2019.



Going back to the Heian period (794-1185), the region has more than 1,000 years of history and is the site of the “Kumano Kodo” pilgrimage. People from all over the world have been fascinated with this region of Japan.

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