Kimii-dera and Wakayama castle

At JR Kimii-dera station, the first thing I noticed was the direction where to go in case of tsunami. I can not tell where the area is situated at the station, but from the top of the Kimii-dera temple, it is clear. The area around the station is flat and close to the sea. If the tsunami of Tohoku scale would come, the train station would be flooded. The best place to go will be this temple as this temple is built on the mountain. The mountain is not so high, but enough for people to flee from tsunami.

This temple in Wakayama pref. is the 2nd of 33 western Japan pilgrimage site. The 1st one is further south in Wakayama pref. Perhaps this is my first time to visit Wakayama pref. with train. I saw some familiar name of station. Kushimoto-cho was where Japan saved members of Ottoman Turkey's delegation that was hit by typhoon and their ship wrecked more than 100 years ago. It is said that this sad accident and ensuing effort led to good relationship between Japan and Turkey.


Wakayama station is only two stops from Kimii-dera to the north. I didn't know what are there in Wakayama, but it got castle in the city center. Wakayama was known as Kii in Edo period and governed by Tokugawa family, from which shogun was chosen. I don't know if there were any shogun from Kii. I am realizing how I don't know about Japanese history, but completing the 33 pilgrimage site would help understand not only religious and cultural aspect but also historical aspect of Japan.

Kimii-dera is built on the mountain full of green