Iwakuni, Japan (岩国市, 日本国)

Iwakuni, a small city of 150,000 people in southeastern Yamaguchi Prefecture, is best known for its structurally unique Kintai-kyo Bridge.

Kintai-Kyo Bridge:

The Kintai-kyo Bridge has been Iwakuni's most distinguished landmark and a subject of admiration for hundreds of years. Completely made of wood and without the use of any nails, the bridge makes five bold arches onto massive stone pillars as it crosses over the Nishiki River.

Plans for the Kintai-kyo were first drawn up when strong currents had once again destroyed a bridge crossing the Nishiki River. A more durable bridge was commissioned by Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, the third feudal lord of Iwakuni, whose statue stands at the entrance to Kikko Park. After the bridge was completed in 1673, it kept standing until 1950, when Iwakuni was struck by a violent typhoon.

With the country still exhausted from the war, the maintenance of historical and cultural properties suffered neglect. For this reason, the bridge that had stood for almost 400 years, collapsed as desperate townspeople looked on and futilely tried to divert the ferocious current. Shortly thereafter, determined residents began constructing a precise reconstruction of their cherished bridge, completing it in 1953.

Iwakuni Castle:

Iwakuni Castle was built in 1608, at the beginning of the Edo Period. The site of the castle was chosen for its natural defensive advantages on top of Mount Shiroyama and half surrounded by a natural moat, the Nishiki River. The castle keep is four stories high, and looks out onto the city 656 feet below.

Probably a source of considerable frustration for those who built it, the original castle lasted only slightly longer than the time it took to construct it. Being built over the course of five years, the castle was torn down by decree of the shogun a mere seven years after its completion.

The present reconstruction dates from 1962, and has already outlasted the original castle by a considerable factor. It is a ferro-concrete construction, and inside displays samurai swords, armor and other items related to the castle's history. There are also displays on Kintai-kyo Bridge and other famous bridges across Japan.

Photos taken May 13, 2011.

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Travel & Events

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• Kintai-Kyo Bridge
• Iwakuni Castle
• Japan
• tourism
• Nishiki River travel