katsuura bay: onsen on the ocean
a great way to get around the bay: and the only way to get to our hotel on its island!
we reach this seaside finshing village before sunset, allowing us to enjoy the first of many “private ferry” rides to and from our hotel----which is located on its OWN ISLAND! pictured above and at right, our hotel is only reachable via the quick ferry (sometimes shaped like a whale or dolphin!) the boats are free and come and go every 10 minutes or so, so you will have an easy time getting around town.
katsuura is a tradtional fishing village, with a seafood market in the morning and constant activity in the port. mainly it is well-known as the gateway to the pilgrimage, but we love the outdoor baths overlooking the ocean. wander the village and it’s old-school cafes and shops, venture into the hills to see the local temples, or visit the beach at sunset.
our hotel is very old fashioned onsen town hotel: massive, with game arcades, multiple baths and restaurants. as you will see, the views and the baths are why we chose this particular hotel—-but we kinda dig the old school vibe, too. one night we dine in the hotel, one night we visit a local slow food member restaurant in town for a feast you will never forget.
From the local tourism website:
Nachi Katsuura Town located in the southeast of Wakayama faces the Katsuura Bay on the southern coast of the Kii Peninsula. It has developed as a pilgrims' inn town for the worshipers of Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine. Today it is a base for fishery that boasts one of the largest hauls of fresh tunas. The town has numerous eating houses where you can enjoy fresh gift from the sea to your heart's content. There is Kino-matsushima studded with some 130 islets in the Katsuura Bay. The inlets and rocks have unique names such as Camel Rock, Lion Islet and Tsuru or Crane Islet. You can cruise among the islets by pleasure boat. Onsens are abundant in Katsuura. It is a representative Onsen site of Wakayama, rivaling with Shirahama. There are numerous Onsens, including the Boki-do Onsen inside a natural cave formed by waves and winds, and Kishu Chomon-no-yu, a hot spring you bathe in while listening to the sound of the tide. Those hot springs are open to public in daytime as well.
