Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県) belongs to Kinki region. Wakayama is the western area of Kii Peninsula. It was called "Ki no Kuni" that literary means the land of forest. So, most of Wakayama is mountains and deep forest. Wakayama is also very popular for religious places. Koyasan that is one of the oldest buddhist temple in Japan, and Kumano-sanzan that are also one of the oldest shrine in Japan. Those temples, shrines and their pilgrimage routes are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Western Kii Peninsula has many famous beaches such as Shirahama Beach.