Wakayama Hometown Birthday

Most of the prefectures celebrate or at least acknowledge the anniversary of their foundation. Often these celebrations are called a "Prefecture Day". But in Wakayama Prefecture they call it a "Hometown Birthday". And today, November 22nd, is Wakayama Prefecture Hometown Birthday.

"Wakayama Prefecture Hometown Birthday" is a commemorative day derived from the merger of the three prefectures of Kishu on November 22, 1871 and the current Wakayama Prefecture was born. In 1989, the "Hometown Birthday Ordinance" was enacted, and it is considered a day when the people of the prefecture deepen their understanding of their hometown and are proud of their hometown. However, unlike some other prefectures, there is school as normal on the hometown birthday. But prefectural museums and art galleries are open to the public for free on the day.

I have to be honest, when thinking about Wakayama Prefecture and what photo to use for this post, the only thing that I instantly associated with Wakayama Prefecture is its coastal features! Sea, sand, ocean. I have never been to Wakayama Prefecture, so the feature photo is of the Pacific ocean in another area of Japan. Have you ever been to Wakayama Prefecture?