- Culture
- Wakayama
Mihama-cho
(Wakayama)
A quaint little town with a gorgeous sunset and white sandy beach with a lush pine grove
Situated at the center of Wakayama Prefecture’s coastline, Mihama is a town with various attractions beginning with its beautiful beaches. While the town is the second smallest in Wakayama in terms of area, there is much to see including Enjugahama beach with a large pine grove that was selected as one of Japan’s best 100 sceneries of white sand beaches and pine groves, and the Mio district where past residents who emigrated to Canada brought back culture from abroad.
Enjugahama beach with a vast pine grove
The beautiful crescent beach continues for around 6 kilometers and has a scenic pine grove that has been preserved for 400 years. The white sandy beach together with green pine trees is an aesthetic landscape unique to Japan, and it is also an iconic symbol of Mihama. The pine grove has walking paths for a nice stroll feeling the ocean breeze. Because of the sudden deep waters and strong current, Enjugahama is a no-swimming beach, but is a popular fishing spot. Also, there is a camping ground that opens during spring to summer.
Cape Hinomisaki, the western tip of the Kii Peninsula
The 200-meter-altitude Cape Hinomisaki juts out into the Kii Channel, and at its tip is the picturesque white Kiihinomisaki Lighthouse. On clear days from the top of the cape, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the Kii Mountains, the mountains of Shikoku and Awaji Island. The sunset from here is truly breathtaking as the sun disappears into the blazing red ocean surface. Furthermore, in the spring, you can see a stunning contrast of the cherry blossoms against the deep blue sea.
The Canada Museum narrates the history of emigrants
The Mio district of Mihama exudes a Canadian air, as numerous people headed to Canada from here as emigrants since the Meiji period (1868-1912). When these emigrants came home to Mio, they brought back with them lifestyles and culture from Canada. The area is now called America Village, and a representative Western-style folk home is open to the public as the Canada Museum, where visitors can learn about the immigrants’ history, the culture they brought to the Mio district, as well as their footsteps as they settled in Canada. There is also a café inside the museum that is perfect for taking a break from sightseeing.
Mihama specialties
The coastal town offers various specialties including seafood and their processed products. Boiled whitebait and soy sauce-marinated whitebait are especially delicious. They are so popular that they have been featured on television. Also recommended are Ise-ebi spiny lobster and abalone with a pleasantly firm texture, as well as the high-quality, soft hijiki seaweed. In addition, there are numerous richly flavored vegetables and fruits such as cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries, nurtured by compost made from the pine needles of Enjugahama grown in the Kuroshio current winds and abundant sunshine.
Location
| Name | Mihama-cho (Wakayama) |
|---|---|
| Website | https://en.visitwakayama.jp/destinations/arida-yuasa-hidaka/ |
| Address | Wada, Mihama-cho, Hidaka-gun, Wakayama |
| Access | Approximately 25 minutes' walk from Shiyakusho-mae Station on the Kishu Railway Approximately 15 minutes' drive from the Kawabe IC on the Yuasa Gobo Road Approximately 10 minutes' drive from the Gobo IC on the Yuasa Gobo Road |
| Inquiries | TEL: 0738-22-4123 (Mihama-cho Town Hall) |