Yamaguchi Prefecture · Japan
Where to stay in Iwakuni
Iwakuni is a city in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, home to about 128,000 people. This guide covers 1 hotel in Iwakuni.
- Places to stay in this guide
- 1
- Nearest airport
- IWK3 km · Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport
- Currency
- JPYyen
- Time zone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Language
- Japanese
About
About Iwakuni
Iwakuni (岩国市, Iwakuni-shi) is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 June 2023, the city had an estimated population of 127,512 in 65182 households and a population density of 157 people per km2.
As with much of the Chugoku region, the history of Iwakuni begins with the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. The Iwakuni han chose the wrong side, and were banished to the wilds of western Japan as punishment. One family, the Kikkawa, built a castle to mark their new seat of power, but it was torn down by imperial edict only seven years later. Nevertheless, the feudal lords of Iwakuni continued to enjoy power and prosperity for nearly three centuries, surrounded by loyal samurai retainers.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Iwakuni
See
- Kintai-kyo
- Kikko Park
- Chōko-kan
- Kikkawa Museum
- Nagaya Gate
- Mekata Residence
- Iwakuni Castle
- Iwakuni Art Museum
- White Snake Museum
Do
The ancient Japanese art of cormorant fishing (ukai) is a popular summer pastime; every night in June, July, and August, teams of fishermen in traditional dress use trained cormorant birds to catch fish. (The birds get to eat the small fry, but a ring around their necks keeps them from swallowing big ones.) With torches lighting the way, it's a memorable spectacle, and Iwakuni is one of the best places in Japan to see it due to the relatively smaller crowds.
- Underground Kingdom Mikawa Muvalley
- Tokotoko Train
- Kintai-kyo Festival
- Friendship Day
- Nishiki River Water Festival
- Iwakuni Festival
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Places to stay in Iwakuni
1 place to stay from the chains this guide covers, each linked to its own website.
| Place to stay |
|---|
| Toyoko Inn Iwakuni-eki Nishi-guchi hotel |
Where to stay
Which part of Iwakuni to stay in
Iwakuni can be easily visited as a day-trip from Hiroshima, where there is more plentiful accommodation. However, there are a few options in town.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
More hotels in Iwakuni
2 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Hangetsuan | 3.5 km | |
| Shiratame Ryokan | 3.7 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Iwakuni
Iwakuni has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; July is the wettest, with about 295 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Iwakuni: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport (IWK), about 3.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Matsuyama Airport (MYJ, 58 km) and Iwami Airport (IWJ, 69 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
The tourist attractions are all within walking distance of each other, near Kintai-kyo and the Nishiki River. Buses run from JR Iwakuni Station (¥240, 15 minutes) and Shin-Iwakuni (¥280, 15 minutes). A cheery cartoon map near the station makes it look like an easy walk, but the route is considerably longer (about 1 hour) and less direct than drawn. If you'd like to walk, though, head west on Route 2 from JR Iwakuni Station toward the Nishiki River.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
IWK · Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport
MYJ · Matsuyama Airport
IWJ · Iwami Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Iwakuni
Eat
Iwakuni's main claim to culinary fame is a special kind of sushi, which is made with a square mold — not rolled in seaweed — and has some special flavorings such as chrysanthemum. Iwakuni has become renowned for having an insane variety of ice cream. Within this small courtyard there are no fewer than 3 different ice-cream stores specializing in unusual flavors of soft-serve. One has 25 to choose from, another 50, and the smallest yet most famous of the lot has a whopping 100 flavors of ice cream including such classics as blueberry, chocolate, and garlic.
Drink
There isn't much in the way of nightlife in Iwakuni; many foreign residents head to Hiroshima to drink on weekends. There are bars in and around the military base, but the spectre of drunk Marines (real or imagined) tends to keep most Japanese at a distance. As weather permits, there is a rooftop beer garden at the Iwakuni Business Hotel & Spa.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Iwakuni: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Iwakuni?
Iwakuni has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; July is the wettest, with about 295 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Iwakuni?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport (IWK), about 3.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Matsuyama Airport (MYJ, 58 km) and Iwami Airport (IWJ, 69 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Iwakuni?
yen (JPY).
Nearby
Destinations near Iwakuni
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.