Sights and landmarks in Iwakuni

Sights and landmarks in Iwakuni

1. See

   Iwakuni Art Museum

   岩国美術館 Iwakuni bijutsukan

   Art and artifacts about samurai life, including some remarkable sword exhibits. The admission is a bit steep, but you'll find better English information here than elsewhere.

   Mar-Nov: Fri-Wed 09:00-17:00; Dec-Feb: Fri-Wed 09:00-16:00·¥800 adults, ¥200 children

2. See

   Iwakuni Castle

   岩国城 Iwakuni-jō

   Although the original castle only stood for seven years, that was excuse enough for a reconstruction during the 1960s. The foundations of the original lie a short distance behind the new one; the builders apparently decided to move it closer to the cliff for scenic purposes. Inside the castle is a small historical museum.

   Daily 09:00-16:30·¥260

3. See

   Kikkawa Museum

   吉川史料館 kikkawa shiryōkan

   Dedicated to the aforementioned family of warlords, and including some of their weapons.

   Thu-Tue 09:00-17:00·¥500

4. See

   Kikko Park

   吉香公園

   A pleasant green spot on the other side of the bridge, with some lovely flower gardens, large sprinklers for a soak on a summer day, and a popular cherry blossom viewing spot in April. Expect to meet some chatty locals here. The entrance to the park is overseen by a statue of Hiroyoshi Kikkawa, the feudal lord who directed the construction of the Kintai-kyo; the park was built on the grounds of the Kikkawa family home. There are two museums in the park for visitors interested in samurai culture and feudal Iwakuni.

   24 hr

5. See

   Kintai-kyo

   錦帯橋

   Only samurai used to be able to cross the arches of this long, magnificent bridge. These days, the river it spans has been reduced to a trickle, and anyone willing to fork over the admission can go back and forth as they please. The 210-m original was built in 1673 using only wood — no metal nails — but the present structure is a 1953 reconstruction.

   ¥300 adults, ¥150 children. After the ticket office is closed, you're on the honor system to leave the admission fee in the box out front

6. See

   Mekata Residence

   旧目加田家住宅 Kyū metaka-ke jūtaku

   The home of another family of Kikkawa retainers. (Don't try to enter either, though; they're still private residences.)

7. See

   Nagaya Gate

   長屋門 Nagaya-mon

   At the south end of the park, you'll see the dramatic gate, the home of the Kagawa family who were the Kikkawa's principal samurai retainers.

8. See

   White Snake Museum

   白蛇資料館, Shiryōkan

   Dedicated to the white snakes that are native to the Iwakuni area (not the hair metal band.) As they are messengers of Benten, the Japanese goddess of wealth, an encounter with the white snakes is considered good luck.

   Closed · opens 9 am·free, but zealous attendants tend to ensure that foreign guests make the ¥100 donation for an English pamphlet

9. See

   Chōko-kan

   徴古館

   A library with historical documents and scroll paintings.

   Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00·free

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Iwakuni (CC BY-SA 4.0).