Iwakuni (岩国) is a less known city, in a less known prefecture of Japan: Yamaguchi. When Japanese people think of Yamaguchi they may think it doesn’t have much to offer, that it is all uninteresting farmland and aging communities. But this rural, traditional aesthetic is what makes the region so charming, especially for foreign tourists.
Kintai-kyo: Pride of Iwakuni
Kintai-kyo (錦帯橋) Bridge is the pride of Iwakuni. It can be seen on their manhole covers, their tourism posters, and even their school uniforms. The bridge is a dramatic piece of classical Japanese architecture, consisting of five sweeping arches that span over the Nishiki-gawa river.
The reason for these arches is to protect the castle that watches over the bridge. From Kintai-kyo you can see Iwakuni Castle, sitting atop the nearby mountain. Invading armies would struggle to cross the bridge’s slopes, especially when they were on horseback. It’s very easy to cross at a slow pace, but difficult if you want to rush into battle.
I found the bridge deceptively tiring to walk over. It is a beautiful shape, but definitely not the most practical for visitors who just want to get to the other side. The steep arches might make it tricky for older visitors, or disabled tourists, but that being said the rather old locals cross it every day without bother. I think it is fine just so long as you prepare yourself for a slight climb.
The surrounding area of the bridge makes up the town of Kawanishi. Visitors can explore the quaint little town, examining many of its shrines and old buildings. Close to the mouth of the bridge are businesses selling local delicacies and hotels that capitalise on their views of the majestic crossing.
Yamaguchi’s delicacies: Lotus root, blow fish, and 100 flavours of ice cream
A must try food in the area is Iwakuni renkon, a type of root vegetable that is pickled, fried, sweetened, dried, and served in just about any style you could imagine. Whilst renkon, or lotus root, is found all over Japan, Iwakuni is the only place where the root grows with 9 holes instead of 8. They are also said to be even more delicious.
Yamaguchi prefecture is also famous for fugu, the poisonous blow fish. Whilst in the West we might big up the rumour of eating blow fish being just as dangerous as a game of Russian roulette, there really is nothing to fear. Yamaguchi Prefecture specially trains and certifies chefs who want to prepare the fish, and there is a long local tradition of cooking the food.
If you head to the far side of Kintai-kyo Bridge you will find an ice cream shop that serves 100 different flavours of ice cream. This ice cream shop has become famous, not only for its deliciousness, but for some of the crazy flavours visitors can get, like natto (fermented beans), soy sauce, and wasabi.
There are two ice cream shops next to Kintai-kyo Bridge. Both with a large variety of flavours, and both considered to be of high quality. The ice cream shops are named after two warring samurais; Sasaki Kojirō and Miyamoto Musashi. These legendary warriors were said to roam feudal Japan, committing acts of heroism, but there are several different versions of their folk tales. We know the two fought to the death, but some accounts say Musashi won, whilst others say Kojirō was the victor. We will never know, but the ice cream shops of Kintai-kyo will never give up the fight, constantly competing for superiority.
Seasonal beauty: Cherry blossoms, fireworks, and cormorant fishing
The bridge is known to be a wonderful place for relaxing at hanami (cherry blossom viewing). People travel down from Hiroshima and up from the other parts of Yamaguchi to enjoy the pink petals against the beautiful bridge and emerald green river. The western bank of the river has many cherry trees planted along it, and wide open spaces for people to lay out a blanket, look up at the blossoms, and maybe even have a few drinks.
People also travel to the bridge for its firework festival. At the height of summer, the fireworks are shot out from in front of the bridge, creating vast, magnificent explosions of light. Visitors usually sample classic festival foods from stalls laid along the eastern river bank, then find a place to sit or lay down and enjoy the show.
The fireworks are released for over an hour and a half in short interval. Many of the intervals are sponsored by specific companies or local groups, and each one is more impressive than the last. I found the fireworks to be the biggest I had ever seen, far larger than any in the UK. They ignited far closer to the ground, causing a larger spectacle to look at, and a more powerful sound that reverberated around the mountains. Every time a firework exploded you could feel the force of it run through your chest.
As well as all this you can take boat rides around the bridge. These are run at two times a year; once for hanami in spring, and again in summer for cormorant fishing. Kintain-kyo is one of the only places in Japan that still practices this ancient partnership between man and bird. Tourists can ride upon small yet comfortable wooden boats as fishermen release cormorant into the water. These birds have ropes tied around their necks acting as a kind of leash, but also stopping them from swallowing all the fish that they catch. The fishermen then bring the bird back aboard and retrieve the fish from their gullets. They are all specially licensed carers who know how to perform the fishing technique without harming the birds.
Kintia-kyo is a fantastic place to visit, filled with all sorts of activities to fill up anyone’s travel itinerary.
Kintai-kyo Information
Website
Address
- 1-5-10 Iwakuni, Iwakuni-shi, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Prices
- 300 yen to cross the bridge during 8 AM – 5 PM.
- It is free at night and in the early morning.
Access
- Bus: You can take a bus to the bridge as it is also a bus terminal. Buses regularly leave from Iwakuni train station and cost 300 yen. You can also travel from Hiroshima Central Bus Terminal for 3,620 yen.
- Train: Kawanishi Station is about ten-minute walk away from the bridge. From Iwakuni Station, take the Nishikigawa or JR Gantoku Line to Kawanishi Station for 190 yen. They are on a separate train line, and thus are a different, smaller, style of train than what you normally find in Japan.
