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Two nights in Wakayama: castle and temples, or more coastal time?

For Wakayama Castle and temples, stay one city night before moving to Koyasan for one night. Change from JR to Nankai at Hashimoto, then ascend by cable car and mountain bus. For beach, cliffs and Engetsuto on separate days, compare two nights in the same Shirahama accommodation.

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Choose a 3 days / 2 nights itinerary

3 days / 2 nights A

Wakayama Castle, then Koyasan temples

Choose this course for Wakayama Castle and Koyasan temples. Stay one night in Wakayama City, take JR to Hashimoto, then use Nankai rail, cable car and bus to Koyasan for one night.

Wakayama Castle, then Koyasan temples →3 days / 2 nights B

Give beach, cliffs and Engetsuto a day each

Choose this course for separate beach, cliff and Engetsuto days. Stay two nights in the same accommodation near Shirarahama and use Meiko Bus. View Engetsuto from the coast on the last day before returning to Shirahama Station.

Give beach, cliffs and Engetsuto a day each →
3 days / 2 nights A

Wakayama Castle, then Koyasan temples

Choose this course for Wakayama Castle and Koyasan temples. Stay one night in Wakayama City, take JR to Hashimoto, then use Nankai rail, cable car and bus to Koyasan for one night.

Day 1: Wakayama Castle keep and city overnight stay

Choose city accommodation with access to JR Wakayama, and mountain accommodation with checked access to Kongobuji, Danjo Garan and station-bound buses. Set hotel addresses and dates, then match JR, Nankai, cable-car and mountain-bus connections.

  1. JR Wakayama central exit → Wakayamajo-mae

    From JR Wakayama central exit, take an appropriate castle-bound Wakayama Bus service such as route 0 or 25 to Wakayamajo-mae. The official ten-minute estimate covers the bus ride; the climb from stop to keep and waiting are extra. Travel-date times and return bus fares are excluded from the subtotal.

    Wakayama Castle bus accessJR Wakayama Station

  2. Wakayamajo-mae and keep → Castle visit and meal

    Have lunch after the castle, or if arriving late in the day, eat first and check that enough time remains before last admission at 17:00. Ordinary keep hours are 09:00–17:30, closed December 29–31. Avoid the temporary closure on December 9, 2026 too.

    Wakayama Castle keep fees and hoursKeep temporary closure notice: December 9, 2026

  3. Keep and Wakayamajo-mae → Return to JR station and city accommodation

    After visiting, check the JR Wakayama-bound stand and return bus at Wakayamajo-mae. Stay one night in Wakayama City before moving to Koyasan the next day.

    Wakayama Castle bus accessJR Wakayama Station

Day 2 morning: JR Wakayama to Hashimoto

  1. JR Wakayama Station → Wakayama Line to Hashimoto

    From JR Wakayama, choose a Wakayama Line train towards Kokawa or Hashimoto. Official station guidance lists platform 7; check signs on the day. Do not use Nankai Wakayamashi or the Kishigawa Line. Check your JR arrival and connecting Nankai departure for your date.

    JR official time and fare search: enter your travel dateJR Wakayama StationJR Hashimoto Station

  2. JR Hashimoto → Nankai Koya Line platform

    Hashimoto · 橋本 At Hashimoto, leave JR and change to the Nankai Koya Line towards Gokurakubashi. Check JR arrival, Nankai departure, station movement and ticket preparation time together. Choose connections continuing from JR through Nankai rail, cable car and mountain bus.

    JR Hashimoto StationNankai Hashimoto and JR transfersNankai Koya Line information

  3. Nankai Hashimoto → Gokurakubashi

    From Nankai Hashimoto, take a local Koya Line service towards Gokurakubashi. Check the weekday or weekend and public-holiday timetable for your date alongside the connecting cable car. Travel from your starting city to Hashimoto is separate. Ordinary tickets do not include reserved-seat or limited-express supplements.

    Nankai Koya Line informationHashimoto towards Koyasan: weekday timetableHashimoto towards Koyasan timetable: weekdays, weekends and public holidays

  4. Gokurakubashi → Cable car to Koyasan Station

    Leave the train and change to the Koyasan cable car. Use the weekday or weekend and public-holiday timetable for your date to choose a departure allowing time after train arrival. Beyond Koyasan Station, a mountain bus is still needed for temples or accommodation.

    Nankai Koya Line informationGokurakubashi towards Koyasan: weekday timetableGokurakubashi–Koyasan cable-car timetable: weekdays, weekends and public holidays

  5. Koyasan-ekimae → Kongobuji-mae stop

    From Koyasan-ekimae, take a mountain bus stopping at Kongobuji-mae and alight there. The official fare table gives 460 yen per adult for this section on routes 21, 31, 41, 42, 43, 52, 53 and 55. Route 44 via Daimon-Minami-Chushajo has a different stop order. Check the destinations and the weekday or weekend and public-holiday timetable at the station-front stop. Choose a bus that leaves time to visit before temple reception closes at 16:30. If visiting your hotel first, check its stop separately.

    Rinkan Bus Koyasan mountain fares from 2026-03-28Rinkan Bus Koyasan-ekimae timetable from 2026-03-28Kongobuji rail access and mountain map

  6. Kongobuji-mae → Kongobuji visit

    Walk from the stop to Kongobuji. Ordinary hours are 08:30–17:00, with reception until 16:30; check event-day arrangements separately. Go to your booked accommodation afterwards. If arriving late, visit Kongobuji first the next day and adjust time for Danjo Garan.

    Kongobuji and Danjo Garan fees and hoursKoyasan temple and Danjo Garan locationsKongobuji rail access and mountain map

  7. Kongobuji → Booked accommodation, dinner and overnight stay

    After visiting, go to your booked accommodation. Check your booking for the actual walking or bus route and dinner start time. Ask the property whether dinner is available if you arrive late.

    Kongobuji rail access and mountain mapKoyasan Shukubo Association: accommodation by property

Day 3: Danjo Garan, then descend

Visit Danjo Garan only if you have time before your return journey. Omit it if you depart in the morning.

  1. Koyasan accommodation → Konpon Daito at Danjo Garan

    Visit Konpon Daito if you have time before your return journey. It has separate admission from Kongobuji and is ordinarily open 08:30–17:00, with reception until 16:30. Check event-day arrangements separately. Add Kondo interiors if you wish, for another 500 yen. If you missed Kongobuji the day before, prioritise one place according to the time before departure.

    Kongobuji and Danjo Garan fees and hoursKoyasan temple and Danjo Garan locationsKongobuji rail access and mountain map

  2. Danjo Garan and Kongobuji-mae → Bus to Koyasan-ekimae

    After visiting, find the Kongobuji-mae boarding point on the official mountain map and take a Koyasan-ekimae-bound bus. The official stop timetable lists routes 31, 41, 43, 52 and 53 towards the station, at 460 yen per adult. Use this boarding point after Kongobuji. For another stop near Danjo Garan or your hotel, check that stop’s station-bound timetable separately. Weekday school-day and school-holiday timetables differ, and weekends and public holidays have separate timetables. Allow time between bus arrival and cable-car departure; shorten your final visit if the connection is early.

    Rinkan Bus Koyasan mountain fares from 2026-03-28Rinkan Bus Kongobuji-mae timetable from 2026-03-28Kongobuji rail access and mountain map

  3. Koyasan Station → Cable car to Gokurakubashi

    Take a Gokurakubashi-bound cable car from Koyasan Station. Check its departure in the weekday or weekend and public-holiday timetable for your date. Allow time from the mountain bus to the cable-car platform.

    Nankai Koya Line informationKoyasan departing cable car and connecting trains: weekdays, weekends and public holidays

  4. Gokurakubashi → Nankai Hashimoto

    Leave the cable car and change to a Hashimoto-bound local train. Check the destination and departure for your date, allowing time to move through the station and check tickets. Look up onward connections beyond Hashimoto too.

    Nankai Koya Line informationGokurakubashi towards Namba and Hashimoto: weekdays, weekends and public holidays

  5. Nankai Hashimoto → Your chosen departure city or airport

    For Wakayama City, look up onward connections via a transfer to JR Hashimoto’s Wakayama Line. For Osaka, search through to your chosen Nankai terminus. Allow separately for tickets, movement through stations, waits, airport travel and check-in. If continuing to an airport, check the later train connections against your flight time. Choose your descent journey first, and omit the final temple if you depart early.

    Nankai Hashimoto and JR transfersJR Hashimoto StationJR official time and fare search: enter your travel dateJR Wakayama StationNankai Koya Line information

Subtotal for checked items: 3,890 yen: admission, rail and cable car only

Included items: Adult keep, Kongobuji and Konpon Daito admission: 1,910 yen; ordinary Hashimoto–Koyasan return rail and cable car: 1,980 yen

Extra costs and conditions: Required mountain buses are excluded. Koyasan-ekimae–Kongobuji-mae costs 460 yen each way or 920 yen return; extra hotel journeys are separate. JR Wakayama–Hashimoto and travel from your starting city are also excluded. City buses, limited-express supplements, accommodation, meals, luggage storage and optional Kondo admission are extra.

Ordinary adult admission is 410 yen for Wakayama Castle keep, 1,000 yen for Kongobuji and 500 yen for Konpon Daito, totalling 1,910 yen. Adding ordinary Hashimoto–Koyasan return travel at 1,980 yen gives 3,890 yen. Rail costs 990 yen each way, including Koya Line and cable car. Add 500 yen for Kondo interiors.

Mountain buses are separate. Koyasan-ekimae–Kongobuji-mae costs 460 yen each way or 920 yen return. The adult Koyasan day pass costs 1,500 yen, making individual fares 580 yen lower for this return alone. The pass applies on designated dates and sections, excluding the express Tateri Line and Koya-Ryujin Line. Hotel stops and extra rides vary, so add required buses separately. Starting-city transport, JR, city buses, accommodation and meals are extra.

Wakayama Castle keep fees and hoursKongobuji and Danjo Garan fees and hoursNankai official fare searchRinkan Bus Koyasan mountain fares from 2026-03-28Rinkan Bus Koyasan day pass price and coverage

3 days / 2 nights B

Give beach, cliffs and Engetsuto a day each

Choose this course for separate beach, cliff and Engetsuto days. Stay two nights in the same accommodation near Shirarahama and use Meiko Bus. View Engetsuto from the coast on the last day before returning to Shirahama Station.

Day 1: station to beach accommodation

Stay two nights near Shirarahama, giving beach, cliffs and Engetsuto a day each. On the last day, allow time after Engetsuto for the bus to Shirahama Station and your JR train. Omit Engetsuto for a morning departure.

  1. JR Shirahama Station → Shirarahama stop

    From JR Shirahama Station (S0), take Sandanbeki-bound Meiko Bus route 12 to Shirarahama (S15). Check your JR arrival and bus departure together for your date. The JR station and beach stop are separate locations.

    Meiko Bus timetable revised 2026-04-01Find Meiko Bus Shirahama routes and timetables

  2. Shirarahama stop → Shirarahama beach walk

    Walk from Shirarahama stop to the beach. This course does not assume swimming. After the beach walk, have dinner and spend the night in Shirahama.

    Shirarahama beach and bus stop

Day 2: visit Sandanbeki and return

  1. Shirahama accommodation and Shirarahama → Sandanbeki stop

    From Shirarahama, take Sandanbeki-bound Meiko Bus route 12 to Sandanbeki. Check departures, arrivals and stops in your date’s timetable.

    Meiko Bus timetable revised 2026-04-01Find Meiko Bus Shirahama routes and timetables

  2. Sandanbeki stop → Cliffs and optional cave visit

    Walk about five minutes from the stop to view the cliffs, as described in tourism guidance. For the optional cave, buy tickets in the building to the right of the viewpoint and descend by lift. Allow extra time for tickets and queues beyond the facility’s roughly 30-minute interior visit estimate.

    Sandanbeki cliffs, cave and bus accessSandanbeki Cave admission, hours and reception route

  3. Sandanbeki stop → Return to Shirarahama and accommodation

    Check a return route 11 service stopping at Shirarahama. Have lunch or a rest near the beach and return to the same hotel for your second night. Adjust coastal visits for wind, waves or access restrictions.

    Meiko Bus timetable revised 2026-04-01Find Meiko Bus Shirahama routes and timetables

Day 3 morning: bus centre to Rinkai

  1. Shirahama Bus Center → Rinkai (Engetsuto) stop

    From Shirahama Bus Center (S14), take Meiko Bus loop route 102 to Rinkai (Engetsuto) (S54). Check departures, arrivals and stops in your date’s timetable. Some loop services do not stop at Shirarahama, so this course uses the bus centre as its boarding point.

    Meiko Bus timetable revised 2026-04-01

  2. Rinkai stop → Engetsuto views from the coast

    Alight at Rinkai and walk about five minutes, according to tourism association guidance, to the coast for views of the island’s exterior. This plan does not enter the island or use a boat. A morning visit does not wait for sunset through the rock opening. Follow local access restrictions and shorten the visit if paths are blocked.

    Engetsuto: Rinkai stop and walking accessEngetsuto: bus from JR station and walking access

  3. Rinkai → Route 101 to Shirarahama

    From Rinkai, take Meiko Bus route 101 stopping at Shirarahama. Check your date’s timetable and the vehicle destination. Rinkai, Bus Center and Shirarahama are different stops.

    Meiko Bus timetable revised 2026-04-01

  4. Shirarahama → JR Shirahama Station

    From Shirarahama, take station-bound Meiko Bus route 11 to JR Shirahama. Choose a bus connecting with your return JR train. Omit Engetsuto if you depart in the morning. The official roughly 16-minute estimate is for the bus from the station to Rinkai; it does not cover your full return from the coast to the station.

    Meiko Bus timetable revised 2026-04-01Engetsuto: bus from JR station and walking access

Subtotal for checked items: 2,960 yen: optional cave and buses included

Included items: Individual Meiko Bus fares in the itinerary and selected Sandanbeki Cave admission

Extra costs and conditions: JR, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, boats and other paid facilities are excluded.

The six Meiko Bus rides total 1,460 yen in individual adult fares: station–Shirarahama at 340 yen each way, beach–Sandanbeki at 240 yen each way, Bus Center–Rinkai at 150 yen and Rinkai–Shirarahama at 150 yen. The hotel-to-bus-centre section assumes walking; check your actual address and route. Uses the April 8, 2021 fare table linked by the official route page; recheck fares for your date.

Adding ordinary cave admission at 1,500 yen gives 2,960 yen. The digital three-day pass costs 1,900 yen, 440 yen more than these individual fares; with the cave it totals 3,400 yen before concessions. Compare again for extra rides or facility concessions. JR, accommodation, meals and boats are excluded. If the official pass’s 100-yen cave concession applies, the total is 3,300 yen, 340 yen more than individual buses and ordinary cave admission at 2,960 yen. Confirm ticket presentation and use-date conditions on site.

Meiko Bus Shirahama section faresMeiko Bus pass prices and end of paper three-day passesSandanbeki Cave admission, hours and reception route

Transport tickets, fares and departure checks

Compare six Shirahama bus rides with the three-day pass

Two-night course B uses six Meiko Bus rides totalling 1,460 yen in individual adult fares, 440 yen below the 1,900-yen digital three-day pass. Check section fares, extra rides and facility concession conditions in the course cost information above.

Meiko Bus Shirahama section faresMeiko Bus pass prices and end of paper three-day passes

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy a paper three-day Shirahama bus pass?

Paper three-day passes ended in late July 2024; digital three-day passes remain on sale. Check official sales channels and device requirements.

Meiko Bus pass prices and end of paper three-day passes

Does the Engetsuto bus leave Shirarahama stop?

This course uses route 102 from Shirahama Bus Center to Rinkai (Engetsuto). Some route 102 services skip Shirarahama, so check Bus Center boarding in your date’s stop list. Use your hotel’s actual address to check access to the bus centre too.

Meiko Bus timetable revised 2026-04-01

What do transport and admission cost for Wakayama Castle and Koyasan together?

The 3,890-yen subtotal includes only 1,910-yen admission and 1,980-yen ordinary Hashimoto–Koyasan return rail and cable car. Required mountain buses, JR Wakayama–Hashimoto, city buses and starting-city transport are extra. Kondo interiors add 500 yen; accommodation and meals are excluded.

Wakayama Castle keep fees and hoursKongobuji and Danjo Garan fees and hoursNankai official fare search

Sources and check dates