Hiking Shiroyama – Iwakuni Castle Mountain

Hiking Shiroyama – Iwakuni Castle Mountain Hike

I really like hiking Shiroyama in Iwakuni Japan. Iwakuni Castle Mountain hike is a really enjoyable hike, that is fairly easy if you are in shape. There are many enjoyably sites around this location, from a few buildings left from the old castle town (early 1600’s) to the parks and temples. There are many different trails that you can hike, or even just take a leisurely walk around, in this area. There are a few place to park for free, especially right around the river and Kintai Bridge. Right near where I ended the hike (red point), there is a small free temporary parking area.

This can be a 7km hike, depending on where you park. This is a paved road the entire way up the mountain, so it is not technically difficult, just a little physically difficult. The beginning of this hike is the hardest. You can tell where the most difficult part ends. The most difficult part is a concrete type road with grooves across it for grip. When that ends, you are past the most difficult part of the hike. From here, the road kind of follows along the mountain, gradually climbing up it. There are some parts where the grade incline increases, but it is a fairly gradually climb.

At the ‘top’, there is a ‘T’ intersection with the paved road going to the right and a small park, the top station of the cable car, and past that is Iwakuni Castle. There are a few more inclines on the way to the Castle, but they are pretty easy to navigate. To the left at the ‘T’ intersection, the road turns into a dirt rut road and follows along the top of the mountain. There is a small shrine that way, at the point that I turn around and head back, but you can continue straight and descend the mountain a few different ways. See down below for the route, and pictures after that.

If you click the title of the map below, you can view the hike on Wikiloc and download the route.