Japan

From Coast to Craft: A Journey Through Wakayama and Nara

I’ve never quite understood Japan's ability to hide whole prefectures from the wandering hordes, but I'm thrilled they're still doing it.

So, with a glint in my eye and Google Maps set to stun, I veer off the tourist trail, bound for Wakayama and Nara—two lesser-known gems ready to blow my mind.

The shift begins quietly. As we leave the edge of Osaka, the urban sprawl fades into the countryside. The air takes on a salty, earthy scent. The road begins to wind. Hills roll into view, dotted with citrus trees and tiled-roof houses. The light softens. After an hour on the road, we reach the coastline and I catch my first glimpse of the sea, calm and glassy, stretching into the haze of the afternoon.

It’s here that I arrive at the Grand Mercure Wakayama. The hotel is perched above the water, a sleek and welcoming retreat that seems to hover between ocean and sky. It feels like stepping out of the everyday and into a different rhythm altogether.

Without even unpacking, we head straight to the hotel’s ocean-view onsen. Built high above the coastline, the open-air hot spring is quiet except for the occasional call of a seabird and the gentle rush of steam rising into the breeze. The mineral-rich water is warm and soothing. The sky turns soft gold as the sun begins to set. I had planned an early night but when someone suggests a soak under the stars, I can’t resist. One glass of sparkling wine and a tray of snacks later, I am completely immersed, both body and mind.

Wakayama’s hot springs are famous for good reason. People come here to find stillness and to be held in warmth and quiet. This onsen is exactly what I didn’t know I needed. Restorative, grounding and full of that quiet cinematic beauty Japan does so well.

The morning begins with plum wine

By 9 a.m. the next day, I’m holding a small glass of plum wine and standing in a sun-dappled orchard in Minabe, a sleepy inland town known for its ume plums. Rice doesn’t grow easily in this region, so the locals have perfected their craft with plums instead, turning them into Japan’s most beloved fruit liquor.

Yohei, our host, is a fourth-generation wine maker and horticulturist. With quiet pride, he explains that the plums are only harvested once they fall naturally from the tree. No rushing the process. We sample dried plums, some so salty they make my cheeks tingle, as we wander through the trees.

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Then, the wine: smooth, slightly sweet, and surprisingly complex for something sitting at just 11 percent. Yohei has me hooked before I’ve finished the first sip.

The tour is only available via the Grand Mercure Minabe Resort & Spa, so you’ll need to plan ahead, but it’s worth it.

Salt, spice, and king crab at Toretore Market

The morning wine stirs my appetite, so we head to Toretore Market, a chaotic wonderland of seafood, steam, and spectacle. It’s part market, part theatre. Giant crab legs tower over tanks of live fish, and the smell of charcoal-grilled shellfish fills the air.

I’m on a mission to find the biggest crab leg I can, and when I do, it’s everything I hoped for. Bold, buttery, and intensely satisfying. In one quiet corner of the market, I meet Mr. Noji Kanye, who’s been marinating mushrooms in chilli oil for over four decades. He hands me a sample on a toothpick with a sly grin. It’s spicy, earthy, umami-rich perfection. I immediately buy a jar and silently mourn that I didn’t get two.

Textiles and tranquility in Nara

From Wakayama, we travel inland to Nara, where the energy shifts. It’s slower, more reflective. I join a small textile workshop inspired by shibori, Japan’s ancient indigo-dyeing technique that combines the patience of origami with the unpredictability of tie-dye.

With wooden blocks and rubber bands, I fold and bind a plain cloth before plunging it into vats of deep blue dye. When I finally unfurl my creation, it’s uniquely mine. Creased, saturated with indigo, and full of character. I fold it gently into my bag, a tactile souvenir of this moment.

Boujee beds and bowls of tea

Checking into the Novotel Nara, I’m struck by how fresh it feels. Not new in a clinical way, but polished, local, grounded. The lobby is all warm tones and thoughtful design, a tribute to the city’s rich history. Upstairs, the Japanese-style rooms blend sleek tech with serene minimalism. Touchscreen mirrors double as concierge screens and the beds feel like clouds.

Over breakfast, the kind that ruins all other hotel buffets, I meet Makoto, the Hotel Manager. When I joke that the place is “boujee” and explain it means next-level luxe, he laughs and pours us both a sake. Kanpai, he says, and I happily toast.

Makoto arranges something truly special. An invitation to the Great Tea Ceremony (Ochamori) at Saidaiji Temple. It only happens three times a year. Inside the temple, monks bow silently as we enter. We kneel, not just out of custom, but with real respect. The tea is thick and frothy and served in bowls the size of my head. Literally. The aim is harmony. A happy life. The ritual is grounding, reverent, and full of centuries-old grace.

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Where Shōgun meets sacred deer

Remember the TV series Shōgun? Turns out parts of it were inspired by the temples in Nara, and stepping into Todaiji’s Great Buddha Hall makes that connection crystal clear. The scale is impossible to ignore. The original structure dates back to the 700s and even the current rebuild, from the 1200s, feels impossibly ancient.

But almost more magical is the walk to the temple. We pass through a park filled with wild deer and trees glowing with crimson and amber. Despite the crowds, it feels peaceful and sacred. Nara has that effect. It was once the capital of Japan and the Emperor still visits. You can feel the weight of history in the hush between footfalls.

From ocean springs to ancient temples, fiery mushrooms to oversized tea bowls, this journey through Wakayama and Nara isn’t just a trip. It’s a complete reset. Gentle, unexpected, and rich with flavour, it stays with me.