Kada Port Town

Located on the coast in the western part of Wakayama City, Kada (加太) is a quiet harbor town best known as the sole access point to nearby Tomogashima, a largely uninhabited island with several atmospheric military ruins, but is pleasant enough to explore in its own right. The town has a very long history and is even mentioned in two of Japan's oldest texts, the Kojiki and Manyoshu.

In former times, the town was hugely important as a crossing point on the Nankaido, one of Japan's major routes connecting Kyoto and Osaka to Shikoku and beyond to Kyushu. Among the travelers would have been feudal lords making periodic journeys to the capital, further adding to the area's prestige. Today it is a sleepy but attractive harbor town, with winding, narrow streets and a few nice old buildings.

One of the town's sightseeing spots is Awashima Shrine, a unique shrine located by the sea front a five minute walk from the Tomogashima Kisen Ferry terminal. Dedicated to a deity associated with women's reproductive health, it is known for its unique festival, held annually on March 3, in which traditional dolls are placed in little boats and floated out to sea.

Like many shrines, its approach is lined with shops and restaurants selling snacks, souvenirs and local seafood. Arranged in various places around the shrine precinct are thousands of dolls and figurines - from the traditional kind displayed during the girl's day to sumo wrestlers wrestlers and various kinds of animals - all sent by their former owners to be ritually burned in ceremonies held throughout the year so as not to risk incurring bad luck by simply throwing them away.