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Contemplate the Relationship Between People and Nature in Untouched Woodland Along the Pristine Ota River

Ota River Basin, Nachikatsuura Town, Wakayama

Local stories

The town of Nachi-Katsuura is a community with a long-established food culture fostered by the diverse bounties of nature—including tuna from the port, citrus fruits from the mountains, and rice from the terraced fields. Agriculture, fishing, and temple activities still thrive within the community, and locals maintain a traditional way of life that is closely connected to the land. One of the most prominent examples of temple life in the town is Daitaiji, a Zen temple with a 1,200-year history. Nachi-Katsuura itself is a sacred place in the Japanese pilgrimage tradition, featuring both the World Heritage–listed Kumano Kodo route network and the Nachi Waterfall, with Kumano being known as a land of rebirth. Because of its distance from the capital, the area has preserved much of its rich natural environment from the Heian period (794–1185). Harmonious activities between people abound here, too. Daitaiji stands as the spiritual pillar supporting this way of life.

This entire community offers interactive stays centered on dialogue, including questions posed by the head priest of Daitaiji as well as direct encounters with farmers and fishermen who share the stories behind the ingredients they produce and their approach to life in general. Spending three introspective days at this place of prayer, where people have long prayed for bountiful harvests and abundant catches, will provide an opportunity to reexamine what it means to “eat” and “live” and reveal ways to live a better life.

Local culinary delights

Nachi-Katsuura prospered as a port town and is famous for its tuna. You can observe an actual tuna auction and experience what goes on at the fishing port. Restore your body and mind with subtle-tasting dishes such as yudofu (boiled tofu) made with local ingredients, morning rice porridge from a Zen temple, and rice cooked on a traditional stove. You can immerse yourself in the local food culture, take part in activities such as farmwork and harvesting, and try your hand at making local specialties like mehari-zushi, which is rice wrapped in pickled mustard leaves.

Recommended model course

A life and prayer farm-stay retreat in Kumano

Example itinerary

At one of the final stops of the Kumano Kodo route network, enjoy a farm-stay retreat centered around questions posed at a Zen temple, in which you look inward and reflect on the meaning of “eating” and “living.” Meet producers in Nachi-Katsuura and savor the bounties of the land while appreciating their passion. Experience seated Zen meditation and ring a large bell at a temple, observe a tuna auction at a fishing port, and engage in a variety of other immersive local activities.

Schedule

Day One

3:00 p.m. | Meet at Daitaiji and tour the temple4:00 p.m. | Experience seated Zen meditation and bell-ringing (you will present a theme for your journey and be presented with a question from the head priest)6:00 p.m. | Have yudofu made with local ingredients for dinner7:00 p.m. | Enjoy the Zen sauna, relax, and self-reflectArrive at your accommodations

Day Two

6:00 a.m. | Depart from your accommodations and go to Katsuura Port

Katsuura Port in Wakayama’s Nachi-Katsuura is a top contributor to tuna landings in Japan. The port handles some of the largest volumes of fresh tuna in the country. Here you can observe a tuna auction and experience other aspects of the fishing port. Gain insights into the mindset of fishermen who brave rough seas in order to survive and their way of life, which involves seeking to coexist with nature through prayer.

7:00 a.m. | Experience a tuna auction and other aspects of the fishing port8:00 a.m. | Have a Zen temple’s morning rice porridge for breakfast9:00 a.m. | Walk along the Kumano Kodo from Daimon-zaka to Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seigantoji, and the Nachi Waterfall and trace the footsteps of ancient pilgrims1:00 p.m. | Eat lunch near the Nachi Waterfall2:00 p.m. | Go to Farm Stay Jugemu

Enjoy a farm stay with donkeys located in Nachi-Katsuura’s Irokawa district. You can visit farmers, experience farmwork, and harvest crops. Learn that living is an act of taking other lives, that nature exists beyond human control, and that both bountiful and poor harvests are determined by the whims of nature—a perspective unlike that of contemporary society, which is preoccupied with results and metrics.

3:00 p.m. | Visit farmers and experience farmwork6:00 p.m. | Have rice cooked on a traditional stove for dinner7:00 p.m. | Interact with hunters and other local residents

Day Three

7:00 a.m. | Eat breakfast while listening to the sound of a mountain stream9:00 a.m. | Depart from your accommodations and go to Daitaiji

Founded 1,200 years ago, the historic Temple Hotel Daitaiji is a Zen temple located along the Kumano Kodo route network. The temple offers a Zen sauna program, during which participants look inward while engaged in seated Zen meditation. Learn how privileged it is to be alive and the mindset of people who live alongside nature. The temple also teaches you to reflect on the value of food by considering the steps involved in bringing food to the table.

10:00 a.m. | Experience Zen meditation and go over your answers11:00 a.m. | Make mehari-zushi and local cuisine and listen to a talk about forestryNoon | Part ways

Access

From Shin-Osaka Station to Kii-Katsuura Station by JR Limited Express (4 hours)
From Nagoya Station to Kii-Katsuura Station by JR Limited Express (3 hours and 50 minutes)
From Nanki-Shirahama Airport to Shirahama Station by Meiko Bus, then transfer to JR Limited Express to Kii-Katsuura Station (1 hour and 50 minutes)
From Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Busta Shinjuku) at Shinjuku Station to Katsuura Onsen on the Seibu Bus Nanki-Katsuura Line (10 hours)

Contact

Ota River Basin Farming Promotion Council

Recommended Accommodation

WhyKumano Hostel & Cafe Bar

This hostel, located just a 10-second walk from Kii-Katsuura Station, is perfect for solo travelers and those who want to enjoy the company of fellow travelers. It offers two types of rooms: capsule and private. Nearby, you’ll find the apartment rental hotel WhyKumano Annex Maguro Building and whole-floor holiday rental WhyKumano UNWINED.

  • Address :

    2F 5-1-3 Tsukiji, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture

  • Telephone Number :

    +81 (0)735-30-0921

  • Telephone Languages :

    Japanese, English

  • Access :

    Short walk from JR Kii-Katsuura Station

  • Check-in :

    4:00 p.m.

  • Check-out :

    10:00 a.m.

  • Rates :

    From ¥4,000 per person per night without meals

  • Accepted Credit Cards :

    VISA/Mastercard/AMEX/JCB

  • Bedroom :

    Private room for up to 3 persons, lockable, Western beds

  • Bathroom :

    Lockable bathroom available, bathtub available (from check-in until check-out)

  • Toilet :

    Western style

  • Meals :

    Shared kitchen available

  • Wi-Fi :

    Available

Recommended Accommodation

Farmer’s Inn JUGEMU

This farmhouse, located in the nature-rich Irokawa area, offers an immersive rural experience. The farm grows vegetables using organic, pesticide-free methods, and guests are welcome to participate in farm work and experience daily life as an honorary member of the family. The hosts, who have lived abroad, including in Thailand, can provide Thai food upon request. Guests can also enjoy a variety of fun hands-on activities, such as feeding the family donkey, Gaspal.

  • Address :

    1246 Ono, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture

  • Telephone Number :

    +81 (0)735-30-1088

  • Telephone Languages :

    Japanese, English, Thai

  • Access :

    From JR Kii-Katsuura Station, take the Choei Bus Irokawa Line to Onobashi (1 hour). The farmhouse is just in front of the bus stop.

  • Check-in :

    2:00 p.m.

  • Check-out :

    10:00 a.m.

  • Rates :

    From ¥8,000 per person per night with 2 meals (when 2 or more people stay in one room)

  • Accepted Credit Cards :

    VISA/Mastercard/AMEX/JCB

  • Bedroom :

    Private room for up to 4 persons, lockable, Japanese futons

  • Bathroom :

    Lockable bathroom available, bathtub available (winter only) (from check-in until check-out)

  • Toilet :

    Western style

  • Meals :

    Dinner, Breakfast

  • Wi-Fi :

    Available

Recommended Restaurant

Experience Restaurant Aima

This interactive restaurant offers a unique experience where visitors tour food production sites, including farms, fisheries, and poultry farms. After harvesting and sourcing your own ingredients, you can cook and enjoy the fruits of your labor. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with producers and experience the bounty of nature firsthand.

  • Address :

    37 Ono, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture

  • Access :

    From JR Kii-Katsuura Station, take the Choei Bus Irokawa Line to Enmanji Park (50 minutes), then walk for 2 minutes.

  • Opening Hours :

    Meet at 3:00 p.m., start eating at 7 p.m., ends at 10:00 p.m.

  • Closed :

    Irregular holidays

  • Cuisine :

    Creative cuisine using organic vegetables, game meat, and free-range chicken and eggs

  • Foreign Language Menu :

    Not available

  • Accepted Credit Cards :

    VISA/Mastercard/AMEX/JCB

Recommended Restaurant

El Camino Del Poeta

This unique restaurant is run by a poet and his fishmonger wife, specializing is obantxos, a fusion of Kyoto's home-style obanzai and Spanish pintxos. Their dishes blend local ingredients with seafood, such as fresh tuna and lobster, creating a delightful fusion of flavors.

  • Address :

    333 Katsuura, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture

  • Telephone Number :

    +81 (0)70-4087-6762

  • Telephone Languages :

    Japanese

  • Access :

    4-minute walk from JR Kii-Katsuura Station

  • Opening Hours :

    11:00 a.m.–2 p.m., 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.

  • Closed :

    Sundays, Mondays

  • Cuisine :

    Spanish cuisine, Japanese cuisine

  • Foreign Language Menu :

    To be confirmed by the Council

  • Accepted Credit Cards :

    VISA/Mastercard/AMEX/JCB

Recommended Experience

Temple Experience

Located along the Kumano Kodo ancient road, the 1,200-year-old Daitai-ji Temple offers a variety of unique temple experiences. Visitors can experience the teachings of Buddhism through calming zazen meditation and sutra copying, and cleanse the body with ‘morning rice porridge,’ a breakfast unique to the temple. Tours to view the temple's Buddhist statues are also popular.

  • Address :

    775 Shimowada, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture

  • Telephone Number :

    +81 (0)80-2781-3483

  • Telephone Languages :

    Japanese, English

  • Access :

    From JR Kii-Katsuura Station, take the Choei Bus Ota Line to Shimowada (20 minutes), then walk for 5 minutes.

  • Duration :

    Varies by experience

  • Fee :

    Seated meditation ¥1,000, sutra copying ¥1,000, morning rice porridge ¥1,500

  • Languages Supported :

    Japanese, English

  • Accepted Credit Cards :

    VISA/Mastercard/AMEX/JCB

Recommended Experience

Hunting Experience Tour

Enjoy a 1-night, 2-day hunting adventure in Irokawa, a lush woodland located about 40 minutes from the town center. The experience begins with setting traps in the mountains, followed by a night tour. The next day involves dismantling the traps, visiting local farmers, and cooking the game meat. This immersive experience offers a glimpse into life in Japan’s traditional woodlands and invites contemplation on the relationship between people and animals.

  • Address :

    43 Ono, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture

  • Access :

    From JR Kii-Katsuura Station, take the Choei Bus Irokawa line to Minami Hirano (30 minutes), then walk for 5 minutes.

  • Duration :

    2 days (negotiable)

  • Fee :

    From ¥20,000 per person per night (varies depending on the number of people, programs, etc.; consultation required)

  • Languages Supported :

    Japanese, English

  • Accepted Credit Cards :

    VISA/Mastercard/AMEX/JCB

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