A short 40 minute train ride, or 1 hour drive, from Hiroshima is the small town of Iwakuni in Yamaguchi prefecture. Here you can hike up a road to Iwakuni Castle, which is on a mountain.
The hike is not technically difficult, as most of the hike is a paved road up the mountain. But, it can be physically challenging for a beginner due to the grade of the climb. Once on top though, you can find another trail that follows along the summit for a good distance with minimal ups and downs for an easy walk. There are many other ways to get up and down the mountain on different trails. This is a beautiful area around the famous Kintai Bridge. At the top of Shiroyama is Kintai Castle. A beautiful, but small, castle.
There is free parking near the start of my hike. You can click this link here to download the route in a number of different ways. See below for a map of the hike and a few pictures of the area.
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It was a fairly foggy day, which made for a cool hike as it didn't get too hot. Hiking near Kintai Castle in Iwakuni, Japan is a great way to spend your day! It is a beautiful spot with a lot of history. There are more than a few old buildings, from the days when it was a castle town, still standing today. Of course, there are a lot of tourist shops and restaurants. And don't forget Kintai Bridge. I believe it is one of the most famous arch bridges in Japan. It was originally built without using any nails.
If you are really tired and don't feel like hiking, but still want to go to the top of the mountain and see Kintai Castle, there is a cable car. For a few hundred yen you can ride slowly to the top for the spectacular views of Iwakuni City. You could spend an entire day in the Kintai area of Iwakuni. There are a few shrines to see, and of course as with any tourist area in Japan, there are more than a few Koi ponds. You will even come across a bunch of turtles in one area of the park.
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