Arida: Discover Culture, Coastline, and the Kumano Kodo

A trip to Arida offers several themes to explore: coastal scenery, citrus farming, Buddhist cultural sites, and the history of the Kumano Kodo.

Coastal Views and Islands

In good weather, the view from Miyazaki no Hana stretches across the Kii Channel to Shikoku, in Tokushima Prefecture, and Awaji-shima. The area around Miyazaki no Hana is part of the West Arida Prefectural Natural Park; the coastline extends as far as Shirasaki. For a different perspective, take the Arida Mikan Kaido: the route crosses the mountains south of Arida City, with views of the Kii Channel and Yuasa Bay. Together, the expansive view from Miyazaki no Hana and the outlook from a route in the southern mountains offer different landscape vistas.

Jinoshima, an uninhabited island with a beach about 500 meters long, lies off Arida City. The ferry from Hatsushima Port takes approximately seven minutes each way. Check the ferry schedule for your travel date.

The Kumano Kodo and Its History

Within the area of Arida City, the Kumano Kodo runs from Miyanohara across the Aridagawa River to Itoga, then continues over Itoga Pass to Yuasa. Next to Itoga Inari Shrine is the Kumano Kodo History and Folklore Museum. It serves as a rest stop for Kumano Kodo hikers and displays materials relating to the route, including the diary of Fujiwara no Teika. The route can therefore be explored through both its named stops and historical records.

Temples and Cultural Properties

Every year on the second Sunday in May, Tokushoji holds a ceremony featuring a procession of the 25 Bodhisattvas. The procession was designated an intangible cultural property of the prefecture in 1968. At Jomyoji Temple, the Yakushido Hall and Tahoto Pagoda are designated Important Cultural Properties at the national level.

Ninpeiji was rebuilt during the Ninpei era (1151–1153). It houses a statue of Kubatatsu Bishamonten from the Kamakura period, designated a cultural property by the city. The temple also has a seated statue of Yakushi Nyorai, which may date from the late Heian or Kamakura period. The small temple building also contains old statues of Amida and Kannon. The dating of Yakushi Nyorai is therefore less certain than the period assigned to the Bishamonten statue.

Citrus Farming and Regional Produce

The Arida City Mikan Museum collects and displays materials about the city’s mandarin industry, its history, and traditions spanning more than 400 years. It also presents the history and current state of citrus farming. Check the museum’s operating details before your visit.

At Minoshima Port, the Arida Minoshima Fisheries Cooperative operates Hamano Utase, a facility for direct sales and dining. Its offerings include fresh seafood, Arida mandarins, agricultural produce, and other regional specialties. Sugai Farm, in the Sugai district of Miyahara-chō in Arida City, offers mandarin picking. Dates may vary depending on the harvest year, so check the picking dates in advance.

When planning your schedule, keep the different timings in mind: the ceremony at Tokushoji is held annually on the second Sunday in May, while mandarin-picking dates depend on the harvest year. For the trip to Jinoshima, the ferry schedule also matters; check it for your travel date.

Discover more destinations: Yuasa, Nishimuro District, Gobō, Kainan, Hidakagawa, Shingū, Kinokawa, Wakayama.

For the overall travel guide: Wakayama Prefecture.