Kii Katsuura: Coastal Base & Seafood

🗺️ Scope & Locations

Days / Dates: April 11 - April 13, 2025
Locations Covered:
- Kii-Katsuura Port
- Katsuura Fish Market
- Hotel Urashima (Bokido Cave Onsen)

📝 Thoughts & Reflections

Basing yourself here is perfect for accessing the shrines via the local transit network.
Watching the quiet, professional tuna auctions at the port was a unique cultural experience.
The cave bath at Hotel Urashima opening directly to the ocean is an absolute must-do.

📸 Journal & Photos

To explore all three Kumano Sanzan shrines (see Kumano Nachi Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Hongu Taisha), I based myself in the coastal town of Kii-Katsuura—and it turned out to be a destination worth visiting on its own. 🏞️🍣

This quiet fishing town is famous for its onsen. One of the most unique experiences here is the cave onsen at Hotel Urashima. The onsen is tucked inside a natural cave, with its baths opening right out to the sea—truly one of a kind. You don’t need to stay overnight—just enjoy it as a day guest. 🛥️♨️

Another highlight is the tuna market. Kii-Katsuura Port is known as one of Japan’s top ports for tuna, and every morning you can watch the live tuna auction from the second-floor of the Tuna Museum. I’ve never seen so many tuna in my life—huge ones, small ones, different species all lined up. Surprisingly, the auction was pretty slow and quiet. No shouting, just the buyers walking around casually inspecting the fish they wanted.

If you’re planning to visit Kumano, I highly recommend using Kii-Katsuura as your base—peaceful, scenic, and well-connected to all the main sights. 🌿⛩️