Kikkō-kōen

Western Honshū


What remains of the old samurai quarter in Iwakuni now forms pleasant Kikkō-kōen, accessed via Kintai-kyō bridge. Within the park are old residences, a pavilion, a couple of museums, ice-cream vendors and spots for picnicking. Worth a look is the exterior of the Mekata Family Residence, the former home of a middle-ranking samurai family from the mid-Edo period.

Reptile enthusiasts and kids might want to pop into the small White Snake Viewing Facility, where several of the bizarre albino snakes unique to Iwakuni are on display.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Western Honshū attractions

1. Mekata Family Residence

0.11 MILES

Located in Kikkō-kōen is this former home of a middle-ranking samurai family from the mid-Edo period. You cannot enter the buildings, but you can walk…

2. White Snake Viewing Facility

0.13 MILES

Reptile enthusiasts, or those with kids in tow, might want to pop into this small viewing facility, where several of the bizarre albino snakes unique to…

3. Kintai-kyō

0.17 MILES

Iwakuni's chief claim to fame is this graceful bridge, built in 1673 during the rule of feudal lord Kikkawa Hiroyoshi. It has been restored several times…

4. Honke Matsugane

0.26 MILES

Both a tourist information office and a cultural experience, inside a traditional Japanese house dating from 1850 near the bridge entrance. The elegant…

5. Iwakuni-jō

0.43 MILES

The original Iwakuni-jō was built by Hiroie, the first of the Kikkawa lords, between 1603 and 1608. Just seven years later, the Tokugawa shogunate passed…

6. Daishō-in

11.73 MILES

Just south of town at the foot of Misen, Daishō-in is a worthwhile stopping point on the way up or down the mountain. This Shingon temple is crowded with…

7. Misen & Ropeway

11.75 MILES

Covered with primeval forest, the sacred, peaceful Misen is Miyajima's highest mountain (530m), and its ascent is the island's finest walk – especially in…

8. Tahō-tō

11.77 MILES

South of Itsukushima-jinja, stone steps (before you reach Miyajima History & Folklore Museum) lead up from the road to this picturesque pagoda. There's a…

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