Japan
Kii-Katsuura
A tuna port with Japan's biggest raw-tuna market, and hot-spring baths inside a sea cave.
The tuna arrive before dawn. Katsuura's fish market runs its auction each morning, and by the time the boats are hosed down the restaurants along the harbour are serving maguro that came off those boats. Kii-Katsuura, in Japan's Wakayama Prefecture, lives at the meeting of two obsessions: the Kumano pilgrimage in the hills behind it, and the Pacific bluefin in front.
Katsuura's raw-tuna market lands the largest catch in Japan, never frozen, and on certain days you can watch the auction from a viewing deck above the market floor. Across the bay stands the Hotel Urashima, reached by shuttle boat from the pier, with seven baths including one inside a natural cave that opens straight onto the Pacific. Buses climb from the harbour to Kumano Nachi Taisha, one of the three grand shrines of Kumano, which faces Nachi Falls, at 133 metres the tallest single-drop waterfall in Japan. The town has more hot springs than any other town in the prefecture, and the pilgrim's snack is mehari-zushi, rice wrapped in pickled mustard leaf.
Couple
A sea-cave onsen opening onto the Pacific, never-frozen tuna, and a waterfall shrine in the hills — Kii-Katsuura layers spectacle on spectacle.
Friends
The morning tuna auction, the Kumano shrine and waterfall, and a night-time soak in the cave baths give groups a packed day of food, culture and natural drama.
- Katsuura's raw-tuna market lands the largest catch in Japan, and visitors can watch the morning auction from a deck above the floor.
- The Hotel Urashima across the bay is reached by boat and has a hot-spring bath inside a sea cave open to the Pacific.
- Kumano Nachi Taisha, one of the three grand Kumano shrines, faces Nachi Falls, Japan's tallest single-drop waterfall at 133 metres.
- Never-frozen bluefin is served over rice at the counters along the harbour.
Maguro-don — never-frozen bluefin sliced over rice at a harbour counter near the market.
Mehari-zushi — rice wrapped in pickled takana mustard leaf, the Kumano pilgrim's trail snack for centuries.
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