Wakayama, Kansai Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Wakayama (和歌山市) is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.

Geography Wakayama is located at the north-west corner of Wakayama Prefecture, bordered by Osaka Prefecture to the north and the Kii Channel and Kitan Strait to the west. It is located on the mouth of the Kinokawa River with the main urban centre of the city on the river's left bank.

Neighboring municipalities Wakayama Prefecture • Kainan • Kinokawa • Iwade

Osaka Prefecture • Hannan • Misaki

Hyōgo Prefecture • Sumoto, Hyōgo (separated by the Kitan Strait).

History The area of the modern city of Wakayama was the centre of ancient Kii Province, and the Iwase-Senzuka Kofun Cluster is one of the largest clusters of kofun burial mounds in Japan. The area the home of the Kii Kuni no miyatsuko, a local king ruling the Kinokawa River Valley prior to the rise of the Yamato State. During the Nara period priests from Tang China built the Kimii-dera temple. From the Muromachi period, Waka-no-ura was a port on the Kinokawa River, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi constructed the predecessor of Wakayama Castle during his conquest of Kii Province during the Sengoku period. During the Edo period, the castle town at the base of Wakayama Castle grew and prospered under the rule of the Kii Tokugawa clan as the centre of Kishū Domain. After the Meiji restoration, Wakayama was granted city status on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. The city suffered 1208 deaths and 1560 critically wounded in the July 9, 1945 Bombing of Wakayama during World War II, which destroyed more than half of the urban area. On April 1, 1997, Wakayama attained core city status, with increased local autonomy.

Government Wakayama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 38 members. Wakayama contributes 15 members to the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is divided between Wakayama 1st district and Wakayama 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy Wakayama is the main commercial city of northern Wakayama and is the largest city in Wakayama Prefecture. Primary industries include agriculture, notably rice and citrus fruits, and commercial fishing. Secondary industries are centered around electronics and heavy industry. Nippon Steel remains a major employer, although the city suffered considerably when former Sumitomo Steel shifted much of its production to China. Other major employers include Kao Corporation and Mitsubishi Electric.

Colleges and Universities • Wakayama University • Wakayama Medical University • Wakayama Shin-ai University • Wakayama College of Science Studies • Tokyo Health Care University School of Nursing • Takarazuka University of Medical and Health Care MedicalSchool.

Transport: Rail JR West – Hanwa Line • Kii - Musota - Kii-Nakanoshima - Wakayama

JR West – Kisei Main Line • Kimiidera - Miyamae - Wakayama - Kiwa - Wakayamashi

JR West – Wakayama Line • Kii-Ogura - Hoshiya - Senda - Tainose - Wakayama

Wakayama Electric Railway Kishigawa Line • Wakayama - Tanakaguchi - Nichizengū - Kōzaki - Kamayama - Kōtsū Center Mae - Okazakimae - Kire - Idakiso - Sandō

Nankai Electric Railway Nankai Main Line • Wakayamadaigakumae - Kinokawa - Wakayamashi

Nankai Electric Railway Wakayamako Line • Wakayamashi - Wakayamakō

Nankai Electric Railway Kada Line • Wakayamashi - Kinokawa - Higashi-Matsue - Nakamatsue - Hachimanmae - Nishinoshō - Nirigahama - Isonoura - Kada

Transport: Road • Hanwa Expressway • Keinawa Expressway • National Route 24 • National Route 26 • National Route 42.