Wakayama Prefecture

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Lore & Background

Present-day Wakayama is mostly the western part of the province of Kii. On July 17–18, 1953, a torrential heavy rain occurred, followed by collapse of levees, river flooding and landslides in a wide area. Many bridges and houses were destroyed. According to an officially confirmed report by the Government of Japan, 1,015 people died, with 5,709 injured and 7,115 houses lost. As of 31 March 2020, 13 percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Setonaikai and Yoshino-Kumano National Parks; Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen and Kōya-Ryūjin Quasi-National Parks; and twelve Prefectural Natural Parks.

Reader's Guide

Mount Kōya in the Ito District is the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. It is home to one of the first Japanese style Buddhist temples in Japan and remains a pilgrimage site and an increasingly popular tourist destination. The Sacred sites and pilgrimage routes in the Kii Mountain Range extend for miles throughout the prefecture and together have been recognized as Japan's 11th UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Kumano Shrines are on the southern tip of the prefecture. Wakayama Prefecture ranks first in the production of oranges in Japan, with its own brand 'Arida-Orange' produced in Arida District, which yields about half of the orange crops in Wakayama. The yield of Arida-Oranges accounts for about 10 percent of Japanese domestic production of oranges. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Wakayama stands first in the production of Chinese flowering plum (ume), making up about 70 percent of Japanese domestic production of ume as of 2016. Since 1996, population has kept declining, and since 2010, it has been the only prefecture in Kansai region with population below 1,000,000. In the 2020 census, close to 32% of the population was over 65 years of age - the highest percentage in Japan. Governor Shūhei Kishimoto was elected on 27 November 2022. Wakayama Prefecture has friendship and sister relationships with six places: Florida (United States), Galicia (Spain), Pyrénées-Orientales (France), Shandong (People's Republic of China), Sichuan (People's Republic of China), and Sinaloa (Mexico).

Did You Know?

• Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 876,030 as of 1 February 2025.
• On July 17–18, 1953, a flood disaster killed 1,015 people and destroyed 7,115 houses.
• As of 31 March 2020, 13 percent of the prefecture's land area was designated as Natural Parks.
• Wakayama ranks first in Japan for orange production and accounts for about 70% of domestic ume production.
• In the 2020 census, close to 32% of the population was over 65 years of age, the highest percentage in Japan.