Iwakuni Travel Guide

Iwakuni is a castle town shaped by two eras of military presence -- the samurai who walked the mighty Kintai-kyo bridge, and the U.

S. Marine Corps base in the city today.

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... (more)

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.

The Japanese Navy built a military air station in Iwakuni in 1940, which also marked its official incorporation as a city. After World War II, the air station was occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force; American forces began using it during the Korean War, and it became an official U.S. military base in 1952.

While the military base works to maintain good relations with the community, it's still a source of some tension -- mostly noise complaints and a few ugly incidents with Marines stationed at the base. But its presence as a bulwark against North Korea means that nobody is exactly keen to see it go, either.

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