Introducing Iwakuni

A Great Add-on to Hiroshima & Miyajima

For the longest while now, the city of Iwakuni has been on my radar. Though located a mere stone’s throw away from the sacred isle of Miyajima over in the neighboring prefecture, circumstances just never conspired to allow for a visit. Recently, I was finally able to cross Iwakuni off my bucket list as part of a trip for Tokyo Creative’s #HostTownRelay project. In retrospect, I am a bit ashamed that it took me this long to get my behind down to this amazing hidden gem. Whether as a side trip from Miyajima, or a two-day adventure, Iwakuni is a local jaunt that deserves far more attention than it presently draws.

For the record, I first encountered Iwakuni and its iconic Kintai Bridge while doing my initial sweep of Japan for off the beaten path attractions that I wanted to feature. Thereafter, my intrigue was further piqued when I discovered that the famous swordsman, Sasaki Kojiro, originally hailed from Iwakuni. This early Edo period (1603–1868) badass was one of a handful of warriors who could remotely hold a candle to the legendary duelist, Miyamoto Musashi. The entire saga is artfully chronicled by the amazing Yoshikawa Eiji in the epic “Musashi.” While the novel is nearly 1,000 pages long, I can’t more highly recommend giving this story a read.