What to see

Iwakuni Castle
Iwakuni Castle was originally built in 1608 by Kikkawa Hiroie, but he was ordered to destroy it only seven years later under the One Province One Castle rule. A concrete replica of the main tower was built in 1962, although not on the foundation of the original. Situated atop of Mt. Shiroyama, the castle can be reached on foot or by cable car. Inside the castle is a history museum with armour, weapons, and other artefacts of the Kikkawa family. The top floor of the castle affords an impressive view of Iwakuni and the western Setouchi area.

Kintai Bridge
The famous Kintai Bridge spans the Nishiki River and was first built in 1673 by local lord Kikkawa Hiroyoshi for access to Iwakuni Castle. It was destroyed by floods and rebuilt numerous times, gradually taking its current highly storm resistant form. A typhoon destroyed the bridge in 1950, and the recreation of the original was completed in 1953.

Kikko Park
Kikko Park is located on the other side of the Kintai Bridge in an area where the residence of the Kikkawa family was located. The park features a fountain, shops, museums, and the Mekata Residence, the home of a mid-ranking samurai family from the 18th century.

The Iwakuni Art Museum
The museum exhibits paintings, ceramics, armour, furniture, and other artefacts which once belonged to the feudal lords.

Imazu White Snake Museum
The white snake is a symbol of Benten, the Japanese goddess of wealth. According to Japanese folklore, finding a white snake in your home is said to bring good fortune. The white snakes with red eyes naturally occurring in Iwakuni are usually the albino variety of the Japanese Rat Snake. The museum in Kikko Park has several live specimens and various other displays.

Cormorant fishing
During the summer traditional cormorant fishing can be seen on the Nishiki River. Fishermen wearing traditional straw skirts and sandals, aprons, and high caps use the highly trained cormorants to catch fish. The fishermen look after their cormorants with all the care of family members.

History

Iwakuni was once part of the ancient Suō Province. Until the Sengoku period, it was held by the Mōri clan. But after the defeat of the Western forces at Sekigahara in 1600, Iwakuni was given to Kikkawa Hiroie for his role in keeping the Mōri forces from joining the battle. The Kikkawa clan built Iwakuni Castle and established the castle town. Iwakuni was part of the Chōshū Domain until the Meiji restoration.