Recommended gourmet dining in the area
Porto Europe recreates a Medieval European harbor town.
Wakayama Marina City
A manmade island floating in Wakaura Bay is home to the Porto Europe theme park along with Kuroshio Market, an Onsen, hotel, and saltwater fishing park.
- Phone: 0570-064-358
- Location: 1527 Kemi, Wakayama MAP B3
- Getting there: Located 15 min. from JR Kainan Station by Wakayama Bus service bound for Wakayama Marina City (get off at the last stop).
- Closed: Irregularly as scheduled.
- Parking: Space for 3,500 vehicles (\1,000 per use)
Porto Europe
- Cost: Free admission (standard pass, \3,500; other options available)
- Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (varies on weekends and by season)
Kuroshio Market
- Phone: 073-448-0008
- Cost: Admission free
- Hours: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (during winter, closes at 5:00 pm)
The fish and omelet set, \1,160, comes with a drink.
KaRaBiNa port cafeKaRaBiNa Port Cafe
Enjoy an inexpensive lunch of cuisine prepared using seasonal, locally caught fish, for example fried cutlass fish.
- Phone: 073-447-1932
- Location: 1-4-10 Wakauraminami, Wakayama MAP B1
- Getting there: Located 2 min. on foot from the Shinwakaura bus stop.
- Hours: 10:00 am to sunset (lunch: 11:00 am to 2:30 pm)
- Closed: Wednesdays
- Parking: Available in the surrounding area (2 hours free with purchase).
Chinese noodle, \600, features the same old-fashioned flavor as was originally prepared in a street stall.
Maruki Chinese noodle
This shop specializing in Chinese noodle attracts tourists from far afield. Its aromatic soup, which features a gentle soy sauce flavor, goes perfectly with the thin, straight noodles. Mackerel sushi (\110) is available as a side dish.
- Phone: 073-447-9557
- Location: 1-1-3 Wakauraminami, Wakayama MAP B1
- Getting there: Located in the immediate vicinity of the Gongenmae bus stop.
- Hours: 5:00 pm to 1:00 am
- Closed: Mondays
- Parking: Space for 9 vehicles
The special fried shrimp set, \1,580, features a generous serving.
Kissa Orino
This restaurant, which is located on Oura-kaido St., is popular for its super-large fried shrimp, which are prepared using naturally caught shrimp. It’s always packed during lunch on weekdays (11:00 am to 3:00 pm).
- Phone: 073-444-6472
- Location: 5-7-15 Sekido, WakayamaMAP A1
- Getting there: Located in the immediate vicinity of the Ouraguchi bus stop.
- Hours: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (Saturdays and Sundays, closes at 9:00 pm)
- Closed: Mondays (open if a public holiday)
- Parking: Space for 15 vehicles
The Kuroe sweets set, \600, comes with a cookie that contains special charcoal.
Kuroe Lacquer Museum
This cafe is located in a renovated townhouse that was built by a lacquer craftsman 160 years ago. Enjoy sweet treats served on the sort of lacquer dishes you’d expect to find in Kuroe, an area that is known for Kishu lacquerware. (The shop plans to reopen following renovations in January 2018.) With reservations you can also try making a Negoro-style piece of lacquerware yourself (starting at \1,000).
- Phone: 073-482-5321
- Location: 680 Kuroe, Kainan MAP C3
- Getting there: Located 7 min. on foot from the Kuroe bus top.
- Hours: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays (open on public holidays)
- Parking: Space for 6 vehicles
Choux Paris (\151 each) are extremely popular with locals.
Patissiere Shun’eido
This pastry shop, which sells both Japanese- and Western-style creations, is located on Meiko-dori St. Its flagship product is the Choux Paris, a delicious-smelling treat with a crust coated with almonds and filled with plenty of house-made custard prepared with fresh cream.
- Phone: 073-444-0571
- Location: 1-5-13 Wakauranaka, Wakayama MAP B1
- Getting there: Located in the immediate vicinity of the Gongenmae bus stop.
- Hours: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm
- Closed: Sundays
- Parking: Space for 4 vehicles
From right: Kuroushi Junmai Ginjoshu, \1660; Hekizan Kuroushi Junmai Ginjoshu, \1,500; Kanzan Kuroushi Junmai Daiginjoshu, \2,580 (720 mL each)
Nate Shuzo
This sake brewery’s Kuroushi (Black Beef) label is named for Kuroushigata, which was mentioned in the Man’yoshu anthology of poetry. Made with in-house wells that tap the Man’yo Kuroushi water system, the sake features a rich flavor that highlights the savory taste of rice. There’s also a monument engraved with a Man’yo era poem on the brewery’s grounds.
- Phone: 073-482-0005
- Location: 846 Kuroe, KainanMAP C3
- Getting there: Located 10 min. on foot from the Kuroe bus stop.
- Hours: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
- Closed: Open year-round.
- Parking: Space for 20 vehicles.
Recommended gifts
Elegant rice crackers with scenic landscapes, \399 (package of 23)
Wakaura rice crackers
Each of these sweet-tasting rice crackers is branded with a famous local spot like Furo-bashi Bridge or Kankaikaku Tower. The packaging features a Wakaura landscape.
Takaya Seika
- Phone: 073-448-1617MAP B1
Black sweet bean paste, white sweet bean paste, or custard, \95 each
Zubora-yaki
This handmade cake-like treat, known as obanyaki, is a famous product of Kainan. Delicious-smelling and piping hot, they’re made and sold by the Zuborayaki Higashihama Shop, where you can try one to see whether you like them.
Zuborayaki Higashihama Shop
- Phone: 073-482-4124MAP C3
Package of 10 2L/3L size fish, from \2,800
Ash-dried saury
This savory delicacy is made with the traditional Kishu ash-drying technique using fatty saury caught in the waters off Hokkaido.
Nishide Suisan
- Phone: 073-444-7173MAP A1