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IWAKUNI |
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Heading south along the San-yo coast from Miya-jima, you'll soon
cross the border into western Honshu's last prefecture, Yamaguchi-ken.
The first place to pause briefly is the pleasant old castle town of
IWAKUNI , some 40km west of Hiroshima and home to an American military
base. Two kilometres west of the present town centre, Kintai-kyo is one
of the country's top three bridges, an elegant five-arched structure,
spanning the rocky Nishiki-gawa like a tossed pebble skipping across the
water. It was daimyo Kikkawa Hiroyoshi who ordered the construction of
the bridge in 1673 to solve the problem of crossing the Nishiki-gawa
every time it flooded. The most advanced civil engineering techniques of
the time were used, and even though the 210-metre-long bridge was built
without a single nail, bound together with clamps and wires, the
original stood in place until Typhoon Kezia swept it away in 1950. What
you see today - and can walk across for ¥220 - is the 1953
reconstruction, no less impressive for that. For once, the hordes of
tourists add something to the bridge's attraction, as they parade across
the steep arches like figures in a ukiyo-e print.
Out of regular office hours, you're supposed to drop the bridge toll in
the box beside the ticket office, or you can avoid it all together by
crossing the river on the nearby modern concrete span, the Kinjo-kyo, a
good vantage point for a photo. It's also worth checking out the bridge
at night, since it's glamorously floodlit until 10pm. The ticket office
also sells a combination ticket (¥840) for the bridge, the return cable-car
ride up Shiro-yama and entry to the castle, which, if you intend to do
all three, will give you a small saving.
Adjoining the bridge on the west bank of the Nishiki-gawa is a
landscaped park, Kikko-koen , once the estate of the ruling Kikkawa
clan. With its grass lawns and cooling fountains, the park preserves
some of the layout and buildings of the former estate, despite also
having some modern features. Immediately ahead from the bridge, on the
left, is the Nagaya-mon , the wooden gate to the home of the Kagawa
family, samurai to the Kikkawa daimyo . There are several other samurai
houses you can wander around and, at the far west side of the park, the
Kikkawa family graveyard , a compact series of white-walled enclosures,
with moss-covered gravestones. In addition, there's a mildly interesting
collection of old maps and plans from feudal times, as well as craftwork
from Iwakuni's past, on display at the Choko-kan (Tues-Sun 9am-5pm;
¥500), at the north end of the park.
Just outside the park, opposite the cable-car station, is a small
white-snake research centre (daily 9am-5pm; entry free, ¥100 donation
for an English pamphlet), worth a visit for those interested in the
area's zoological oddity. The albino-like snakes are unique to Iwakuni
and are thought to have evolved here because of the slightly warmer
temperatures in winter. A guide will show you the observation tanks
where four of the snakes live; the oldest, He-chan, is 12, while the
youngster, Mari-chan, is a mere 6-year-old. Right next to the cable-car
station, the Iwakuni Historical Art Museum (daily 9am-5pm; ¥500)
displays the unexceptional art collection of local resident Nishimura
Shigenori.
The cable car (¥540 return) saves a forty-minute hike up Shiro-yama, but
if you fancy the workout, the route begins beside the youth hostel in
the southwest corner of Kikko-koen. An impressive view of the meandering
river, town and Inland Sea from the summit makes the effort worthwhile.
Unless you're interested in displays of armour, swords and a miniature
wooden model of the Kintai-kyo, however, the castle (daily 9am-5pm;
¥260) is not worth entering. Set back from the 1960 reconstruction is
the original base of the fortress built by Kikkawa Hiroie in 1608, and
torn down by the daimyo , just seven years later, in obeyance of the
Tokugawa government's edict that each province should only have one
castle (Hagi's took precedence).If you have time, follow the nature
trail along the mountain ridge for just over 1km to the lonely Gokanjin
shrine, keeping an eye out for the many giant spiders in their webs
along the way.
If you are in Iwakuni overnight between June 1 and August 31, don't miss
the cormorant fishing ( ukai ), which takes place on the Nishiki-gawa
beside the bridge between 6.30pm and 9pm. This colourful and exciting
method of fishing with birds can be viewed from boats for ¥3600, or for
free from the pebbly riverbank.
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