Iwakuni Castle

This mountain castle was built in 1608 (Keicho 13) by Kikkawa Hiroie, the first lord of the Iwakuni Domain and a grandson of Mori Motonari. It stands on 656-foot-high Mt. Shiroyama, with the Nishiki River below serving as its outer moat. The three-tiered, four-story structure features Momoyama-style Nanban architecture (kara-zukuri), with its upper floors larger than the floors below.

Just seven years after it was built, the castle was demolished under the Tokugawa shogunate's One Castle per Province Edict. The present reinforced-concrete structure was reconstructed in 1962 (Showa 37). Its location was moved approximately 164 feet east to provide views over the city, but the stone walls at the original castle tower site have been restored using the stone-stacking techniques of the time and are open to visitors.

Inside the castle tower are exhibits offering a glimpse into the past, including a model and photographs of Kintaikyo Bridge, weapons, and armor, as well as an observation deck. From here, visitors can take in panoramic views of Kikko Park, the former castle town, Kintaikyo Bridge, the entire city, and even the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.

A recommended way to reach Iwakuni Castle is by ropeway, which offers views of the surrounding mountains and the distant sea on the way to the summit. In 2006 (Heisei 18), the castle was selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles.