Iwakuni

Iwakuni, a tiny city with merely 150,000 residents, is a popular day trip from Hiroshima owing to its immense historical importance as a feudal territory. The most popular name in the city, however, is the Kintai-kyo Bridge. A structure like no other, this 5-arched bridge is built without any nails whatsoever and is a sight to behold during the cherry blossom (Sakura) season. Yet another fascinating attraction for tourists is the mighty Iwakuni Castle that is home to some arresting views of the cityscape from its observation deck. While it was demolished once upon a time, the reconstruction has been named one of the ‘100 Great Castles of Japan’. The parks of Kikko-Koen and White Snake also make for wonderful places to explore. While Kikko-Koen is a happy escape with its picnic spots and museums, the White Snake Park is a thorough adventure as it houses rare species of, no prizes for guessing, white snakes.

Several travellers, however, visit Iwakuni in order to witness local fishermen employ traditional (cormorant) fishing methods to earn their daily bread. While it happens to be an everyday activity for these people, the rather elaborate and meticulous process is quite fascinating to watch. This tiny town is an hour away from Hiroshima and the easiest way to get there is via bus. You would ideally have to shell out around 1700 Yen for a return journey.