Areas
Shirahama
A large hot spring resort on the Wakayama coast with a white sand beach, about 100 km south of Osaka.
- Character
- Shirahama is one of Japan's three oldest onsen towns, with hot springs recorded over a thousand years ago. Large hotels line Shirarahama Beach in the town centre, and sea cliffs, rock shelves and an animal park are a short bus ride away. Summer is beach season.
- Why it stands out
- Outside the summer beach season, Sakinoyu stays open with shorter hours from October to March, and the cliffs and museums are still open.
- Getting there
- From Shin-Osaka, limited express trains on the JR Kisei Line run about hourly and take about 2.5 hours to JR Shirahama Station. From Tokyo, fly from Haneda to Nanki-Shirahama Airport (about 1 hour); a bus to the onsen area takes about 10–15 minutes. From JR Shirahama Station, a bus to the town centre takes about 10 minutes (¥340).
- Seasons
- Summer is the beach season, with fireworks on selected evenings. The beachside Shirasuna bath has longer hours in summer, and Sakinoyu has shorter hours from October to March. On some evenings of the year, the sunset can be seen through the hole in Engetsu Island.
- Watch-outs
- Bath hours change by season and some baths close for maintenance, so check before you go. Adventure World is closed on many Wednesdays, and it no longer has pandas.
- Neighbourhoods
- Shirarahama Beach: Town-centre white sand beach lined with large hotels; the Shirasuna bath is beside it. / Sandanbeki and Senjojiki coast: Steep sea cliffs with caves, and a flat rock shelf you can walk on. / Adventure World area: Large animal and amusement park, about 10 minutes by bus from JR Shirahama Station (¥300).
- Nearby
- Sakinoyu / Shirasuna / Sandanbeki / Senjojiki / Engetsu Island / Adventure World / Minakata Kumagusu Museum
Shirahama condotels and hotel condos for sale
A condotel (hotel condominium) is a hotel room you own outright, which the hotel rents to guests when you are not using it. These are the Shirahama buildings and resort clubs this site tracks, with their current asking prices.