Nestled in the picturesque environs of Ikeda Bay is ToreTore Park, a sprawling site of gourmet food and relaxation. The Kuroshio Current sends subtropical waters northward to this region, bringing a biodiverse abundance of marine life to the waters of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, where ToreTore Park is located.
This family-friendly seaside destination is packed with gastronomic delights and leisure activities. The park’s centrepiece is ToreTore Ichiba, a lively market and food hall that offers various delicacies served up by knowledgeable and friendly fishmongers. There are unique accommodation options within the park itself, as well as a hot-springs facility where you can unwind in any number of soothing baths. Fishing experiences on the water and a pleasure boat cruise for lunch or dinner round out the myriad ways you can enjoy the splendours of the sea.
Ancient history, modern tourism
Shirahama has long been known for its white-sand beaches and beautiful vistas. Historical documents attest to the existence of a hot-springs resort here as early as the 7th Century CE. Wakayama Prefecture is also home to many sacred sites on the Kumano Kodo, an ancient pilgrimage route that people traverse to this day. “We invite you to experience our long history, deep mountains, and expansive ocean,” says Shigeki Yamashita, secretary-general of the Nanki-shirahama Tourism Association.
In more recent times, the town of Shirahama developed in step with Japan’s postwar economic boom, particularly after the opening of Nanki-Shirahama Airport in 1963. Fishing is a year-round activity in Shirahama, with rotating hauls of freshwater clams, sweetfish, carp and other species from season to season. The Katata Fisheries Cooperative Association opened ToreTore Ichiba in 1995 as a one-stop shop for Wakayama’s seafood specialties. Additional facilities for dining, shopping and leisure have been added over the years, creating a comprehensive getaway with something for everyone. Shirahama draws millions of visitors each year, but the vast majority are domestic tourists and travellers from other parts of Asia. Come discover this hidden gem as you explore ToreTore Park.
Mindful eating in ToreTore
Whether you’re looking for a light snack or a hearty sampling of marine gourmandise, ToreTore has something to tantalise your tastebuds. ToreTore Ichiba has sushi, sashimi and other seafood dishes made with ingredients right from the source. Grilled scallops, a flame-seared red seabream bowl, and octopus balls in savoury broth are just a few of the spectacular selections available from different vendors in the market.
Each shop and stall takes pride in serving wholesome fare that is part of Shirahama’s long lineage as a fishing community. If you want to try your own hand at Japanese cuisine, you can buy raw seafood here from vendors specialising in tuna, shrimp and shellfish or dried goods such as sardines and sauries. Of particular note is the tuna kaitai show, where you can witness a master fishmonger disassemble a whole tuna – whether bluefin, Indian, bigeye, yellowfin, kingfish or another breed – before your eyes.
ToreTore Ichiba is an “unparalleled” seafood market, according to Mr Yamashita. “Many local fishermen offer their products here, and it is considered an essential market for the region,” he says. There is also a barbecue corner where you can select your own fresh meat, fish and vegetables from the marketplace and grill them on the spot. When you eat at ToreTore Park, you’ll be supporting local businesses and enjoying fresh meals right out of the sea: a win-win for the Shirahama community and your mindful travel experience.
Souvenirs, snacks and sweets
ToreTore Ichiba sells a wide array of packaged goods that make perfect gifts for friends and family back home, or simply as a memento of a joyful vacation. Apart from seafood goodies such as dried mackerel or salted salmon, you can find different varieties of umeboshi, or pickled plum, produced by brands such as Shirara and Plum Kobo.
Sweet treats and limited-edition products provide another window onto Shirahama food culture, whether it be Fukubishi’s kagerou (a crispy dough wafer filled with fluffy cream) Shunka-an Kadoya’s usukawa manju (a flour-based confectionery with a homemade red bean paste filling) or mikan daifuku (a glutinous rice cake stuffed with a whole citrus). As for drinks, there are plenty of options available in the liquor section of the marketplace. You can grab some Beninanko plum wine, Kuroushi sake, Kumano gin or other regional specialties to share with your loved ones – or sample on your own.
Leisure activities and overnight stays
If you have a half-day or longer to spend in Shirahama, you can appreciate the wide range of activities that ToreTore Park offers for the whole family to enjoy. Fishing enthusiasts travelling with their own equipment can get their fix on one of several platforms situated on the bay. Those who need rentals can visit the Katata Fish Pond instead. Here you can catch fish of various sizes such as yellowtail, horse mackerel, white trevally or red seabream and take home your haul.
For those looking to make a bigger splash, the pleasure boat Kagayakiya can be rented for seasonal events, celebrations and parties. You can enjoy a scrumptious lunch or dinner made from fresh ingredients while taking in the sights of a scenic cruise around Ikeda Bay.
Meanwhile, ToreTore no Yu is a comprehensive hot-spring facility with numerous indoor and outdoor baths, as well as a cypress sauna. Each bath has a unique characteristic or feature, whether carbonic acid or oxygenated water, offering its own particular way of unwinding.
For overnight stays, the guest rooms of ToreTore Village provide Japanese and Western-style accommodations for up to six people in a single space. Each room is actually a self-contained dome-shaped building, and the group of these domes set against the greenery of Shirahama creates a magical landscape that looks like something out of a fairytale.
Travellers with children, or those who simply wish to get in touch with their inner child, can opt to stay in Panda Village, which has accommodations of a similar style for groups of five or six. Each of the individual domes is decorated to look like a panda’s face from the outside, injecting a bit of wonder and whimsy into your vacation in Shirahama.
How to get to ToreTore Park
Shirahama is located in southern Wakayama Prefecture. Nanki-Shirahama Airport can be reached in about an hour and 15 minutes by plane from Tokyo and there are multiple flights operating every day. It takes about 10 minutes to travel to ToreTore Park by car from the airport.
Train is also a convenient transit option. From the JR Shin-Osaka Station, you can take the limited express Kuroshio train straight to the JR Shirahama Station in about two-and-a-half hours. From the train station, you can hop into a taxi and reach ToreTore Park in five minutes.
