Iwakuni City
- Tony Boccia
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
I'm happy to take a deep dive into Iwakuni City 岩国市, now that I'm stationed here once more. The fifth-largest city in Yamaguchi Prefecture by population and second by land area, Iwakuni borders Shimane and Hiroshima Prefectures to the north and east, and Hiroshima Bay and the Seto Inland Sea to the south. The cities of Shunan, Hikari, and Yanai lay to the west. Iwakuni is bisected north to south by the Nishiki River, which splits into the Monzen and Imazu Rivers before emptying into Hiroshima Bay. The city has been home to the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni since 1952, and is home to many cultural landmarks and historical sites.
The city of Iwakuni was founded by the Kikkawa Clan in 1600. The Kikkawa were a samurai family who had risen in Sho Kikkawa (now Shimizu City in present-day Shizuoka Prefecture) during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333). The clan moved further west with each new head; from Shizuoka to Hyogo, then Oasa in Aki, where they built Ogaruyama Castle, now a ruin in modern Hiroshima Prefecture. The family merged with the powerful Mori Clan with the marriage of Kikkawa Okitsune (1508-1550) to the sister of Mori Motonari, one of the most powerful Samurai of the Sengoku, or Warring States, period. As this turbulent time hurtled toward its end, the Mori Clan fell under the command of the second of Japan's great unifiers, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and the Kikkawa moved their base to Izumo Tomita (now part of Shimane Prefecture).
Hideyoshi's story is best told in the context of the late Sengoku Period. His rise from humble servant under Oda Nobunaga to ruler of all Japan, and his tenuous control over a newly unified country with powerful clans, (the Mori among them) defined his life. Hideyoshi's luck ran out with his death in 1598; his successor Hideyori was not yet of age, and five regents were named to oversee the realm. One of these men, Tokugawa Ieyasu, seized control and won the pivotal Battle of Sekigahara, widely recognized as the end of the Sengoku Period and the beginning of the Edo Period under the Tokugawa Shogunate.
The Kikkawa, whose leader Hiroie had helped foil the Mori Clan's designs to betray Ieyasu at Sekigahara, were given 30,000 goku across Suo Province; much of what is now modern Iwakuni City. He built his castle on Mount Shiroyama during a time of tenuous peace in Japan; as Ieyasu consolidated control and it seemed like war could break out at any minute, having allies with fortified castle towns was sound strategy. Even today, the peak of Shiroyama is surrounded on three sides by steep approaches through forest, and the Nishiki River is a natural moat protecting the castle town.
It took Hiroie 8 years to build his castle, from 1601-1608. A footbridge was built across the Nishiki River to connect the castle town to the merchant districts and points beyond. As the Edo Period dawned, the Tokugawa drastically changed the composition of Japan's provinces, combining Suo with Nagato in order to form the Choshu Domain. In 1615, and as a measure against rebellion, the Shogunate established the Ikkoku-ichijo, or 'One castle per Province' policy. Iwakuni castle was demolished in favor of keeping Hagi Castle, now a ruin on the northern coast of Hiroshima Prefecture. The castle at Iwakuni stood for less than seven years.
In 1962, Iwakuni Castle was rebuilt using plans discovered in the ruins of the old keep. It is situated at the edge of Mt. Shiroyama, roughly 30 meters away from its original foundation, which still exists. The castle, while not original, does have a classic feel to it; the artifacts, swords and armor displayed inside add to the charm. The views from the top, looking over Iwakuni City to the Inland Sea beyond, are some of the best in the area.
The old castle town of Iwakuni at the foot of Mt. Shiroyama was well preserved and is now Kikko Park. There are several shrines here, exactly what you'd expect in a small Japanese town; quiet, peaceful, and solemn. Monuments to the Kikkawa are everywhere, including the family graveyard as well as one of their residences. There's memorials to the battles fought near here, and around Japan; a torii gate proudly stands at the entrance to Kikko Shrine, dedicated in honor of Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-5). A statue of Kikkawa Hirioe is nearby.
Probably the most famous landmark in Iwakuni City is the Kintai Bridge (Kintaikyo, 錦帯橋). Images of the bridge can be found on tourist pamphlets, ads for local shops, and even on city buses. The local airport is named after the bridge, and you can find scale models of Kintaikyo in train stations, shopping malls, and schools throughout the city. The first Kintaikyo was the footbridge that Kikkawa Hiroie had built with the establishment of Iwakuni Castle. An arched bridge was finished in 1673, 58 years after the destruction of the castle, but was washed away in a storm seven months after its completion; erosion of the riverbed had caused it to partially collapse. The third iteration of the bridge was completed that same year, and stood for 276 years, with periodic rebuilding of the wooden spans, until a typhoon hit the Iwakuni area in 1950. The fourth bridge is the one we see today; it was completed in 1953. Near Iwakuni Castle is a small museum that has pictures going back to the Meiji Era, showing repairs on Kintaikyo. The surrounding area is filled with sakura trees, and the blossoms draw thousands of people from across the area every spring.
Across the Kintai Bridge and inside Kikko Park is a museum dedicated to educating the public about the shirohebi. These are rare albino rat snakes, recognized in Iwakuni since ancient times as messengers of the gods. The snake itself is designated as a national monument of Japan, and are protected as such. The shirohebi (literally, white snake) museum in the castle town is a relaxed and inexpensive way to get acquainted with this symbol of Iwakuni, which alongside the Kintai Bridge, can be found throughout the city in the shape of ads, toys, and educational materials. For a more formal approach to the snake and its meaning to the locals, I recommend Iwakuni White Snake Shrine (岩國白蛇神社).
Iwakuni Castle, Kintai Bridge, Kikko Park, and Shirohebi Shrine are all within ten minutes' drive of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, home to more than 10,000 Sailors, Marines, and their families, in addition to DOD civilians. One of the pleasures of being stationed overseas is the opportunity to dive into local and regional history, and Iwakuni has immense pride in its impact on both. I'll be doing more on Iwakuni in the near future; its importance to the Imperial Japanese Navy and its part in the Second World War in addition the occupation of MCAS Iwakuni under the Allies, and the use of the base for the Korean War. We'll also widen the scope to look at Yamaguchi Prefecture as it relates to the history of Japan.
I'm tremendously excited to bring all this to you, and I look forward to your emails, comments, shares, and likes. Pacific History Guide is built with YOU in mind, so if you have feedback, let us know! Appreciate all of you for keeping us above 250 unique subscribers for the last two straight weeks, happy exploring!
Tony