town, Wakayama ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, facing the Pacific Ocean. Lying within Yoshino-Kumano National Park, the town is a summer resort renowned for its proximity to more than 40 waterfalls. The main fall is one of the highest in Japan, dropping 427 feet (130 m); it is approached through a large gate set in a grove of ancient cedars. The 7th-century Seiganto Temple is an important Shintō pilgrimage centre. Nearby is the highly venerated Kumano-Nachi Shrine, dedicated to the Shintō god of the sea and founded in the 4th century. Pop. (2000) 19,417.