8 Recommended Hiking Trails Near Iwakuni
Being so close to mountains and nature, Iwakuni has no shortage of spectacular hiking trails. Hiking wise, Iwakuni and the surrounding area has it all from short easy hikes on the outskirts of town to strenuous and multi day hikes. I’ve hiked several trails in and around Iwakuni and these recommended hiking trails near Iwakuni are among my favorites! These trails are all very accessible, non-technical, and can be enjoyed by anyone no matter your skill set. Like anything nature related, have a plan, prepare, and be safe!
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If you are an outdoor enthusiast like me and love to get out and hike, then Iwakuni and the surrounding area is perfect for you. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite hikes and hiking trails around Iwakuni. These trails are fairly easy and offer a nice mix of beautiful nature and breathtaking views.
* I’m not entirely sure of all the names of the trails as many of them are not named or have no trail markers. Some of the trail names are just taken from Google Maps or All Trails.
1. Heikeyama
The trail to Heikeyama is a short trail that is somewhat hidden and difficult to find. This hike is within Iwakuni City, we usually walked to the trail head from our apartment. The trail is a through trail and can be accessed behind the Iwakuni Medical Center (34.1739905,132.2043968) or accessed through the bamboo forest near Murooki Kindergarten (34.1761979,132.2101265). It took us a while to find the trail the first couple times.
Once you find the trailhead the hike is pretty easy. It’s about a 20-30 minute uphill hike to the top of Heikeyama (Yama means Mountain in Japanese). The views at the top are always spectacular. You can see Iwakuni City and the ocean as far as the eye can see along with some of the islands. The hike back down is usually faster about 15-20 minutes. The trail is kind of steep so be aware of that.
The hike to Heikeyama is a quick and easy hike that is suitable for anyone. It’s nice to get a quick morning hike in or go in the evening yo catch the sunset.
2. Iwakuni Castle Trail
There are several ways to get to Iwakuni Castle, most travelers will probably take the ropeway, but for those that love to walk or hike, there are some really good options.
There is a paved road accessible from Tosenji Temple that goes to the top of Shiroyama, it’s an easy walk to the castle, it takes anywhere from 20 minutes to 40 minutes depending on how many stops you take. If paved roads aren’t your idea of hiking, there is a trail next to the Iwakuni Art Museum. This is a traditional wooded trail that goes straight up the mountain. This trail is fairly easy as well, but it does get steep in parts with cut backs. I would plan at least 30-40 minutes on this trail.
There are longer trails that start at various locations and follow the ridge line to the top of the mountain eventually ending up at Iwakuni Castle. Either route you decide on, the castle and views from Shiroyama are worth it. I recommend at least an hour at the top if not two. The views from the castle walls are incredible.
3. Jyakuchikyo - Five or Seven Falls
I am getting conflicting results here, where it should be called Five Falls or Seven Falls. Either way, visiting Jakuchikyo Gorge and hiking the trail is worth a day trip from Iwakuni.
Like most hikes in the region there are several trail heads and trail networks. We parked at the Jakuchikyo Visitor Center and found a trail marker and decided to go that way. Lucky for us, it led us directly to the waterfalls.
The trail had many steep parts, thankfully there were ropes or railings to hold on to for some of those steep and slippery parts past the waterfalls. You hike above the waterfalls and get real nice views. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the photographer I am now, so my waterfall photos didn’t turn out that great.
Near the top, there are a two tunnels. The tunnel on the left goes back toward the visitor center while the tunnel on the right continues along a trail that seems to have never ended. We took the tunnel to the right, hiked for hours, ended at the top of a mountain, and thought we got lost! We ended up finding our way back to a road that led back to the visitor center but we ended up hiking a lot longer then expected. But the weather was beautiful that day and we had no plans so it ended up being a fun adventure. You don’t have to be like us, you can take the left tunnel or turn around and head back the same way. Be careful as the trail is damp, slippery, and steep in spots.
We hiked for about 5-6 hours and ended up doing 10-13 kilometers.
4. Kinryu Falls - Mt. Komekoya
North of Iwakuni past the town of Otake is the trail to Kinryu or Kinryuno Falls. Head toward the Kamei Castle Ruins here is a road here near these coordinates (34.247952,132.2178357) that goes north before turning into a dead end. The trail to Kinryu Falls starts near here. It’s just a few minute walk to the waterfalls. The times I was here, the waterfalls were off limits, but I heard people swim here during the summer months.
If the hike to the waterfall isn’t fulfilling enough, there is an observatory deck on the mountain top above the falls. The observatory was less then a half kilometer away. The observatory deck has great views of the area, you can even see Miyajima from here. You can either backtrack the same way or follow the path as it loops back around to the falls. There are other trails that branch off from here but stick to the main route back to Kinryu Falls.
Hiking at Kinryu Falls was not strenuous at all and hardly ever busy. This area is great for those who want a quick hike, enjoy nature, and perhaps take a dip in the clear water. Oh and this area is beautiful to come to around Sakura Season. I highly recommend viewing the Sakura Trees at Kamei Castle Ruins prior to or after hiking to Kinryu Falls.
5. Mt. Misen - Miyajima
I can’t mention great hikes around Iwakuni without mentioning a hike to the top of Mt. Misen on Miyajima.
There is a ropeway that gets you close to Mt. Misen, but you still have to walk about 10 minutes or more to the summit. I usually recommend hiking one of the several trails from the bottom of Miyajima to the top of Mt. Misen. Mt. Misen is 530 meters above sea level but the trails are only a few kilometers long. I usually take one trail up and descend on a different trail. One trail starts right behind Daishoin Temple. If you have not seen this temple, it’s worth a visit. According to Google Maps, this is the Misen Mountain Trail Daishoin Course. The other recommended course is called the Momijidani Course near the Ropeway.
No matter what course you decide to hike, the reward at the top of Mt. Misen is worth it. There are some cool temples on top and very nice multi story observation deck. From here, you can see all of Hiroshima Bay and Hiroshima City off in the distance.
6. Mt. Jakuchi
Mt. Jakuchi is considered the tallest mountain in Yamaguchi Prefecture. This mountain is right at the border of Yamaguchi Prefecture and Shimane Prefecture. Although further away, it is still doable in a single day.
I did this hike with some friends and we parked alongside a road at the base of the mountain, found the trail head and started to hike. Apparently this trail can be looped with Jyakuchikyo five falls trail hike. The hike to Mt. Jakuchi was primarily up hill to the summit. It was a tad disappointing as we reached the summit there was absolutely no view, it was blocked by trees! There was a picnic table and small shrine at the top. This hike was definitely not worth the views, but hey! Can’t complain about getting out in nature and exercising.
7. Mt. Daishi
We stumbled upon this hike on accident while biking around Yasaka Lake. Honestly, this hike might be my favorite out of the bunch. There is a road that dead ends right at the trailhead (34.255788,132.1308665).
The hike is somewhat short, it usually takes 30 minutes or less to the summit. But the trail is steep with a lot of tight switchbacks. You don’t have to be an experienced hiker for this trail but definitely be aware of your surroundings. The summit of Mt. Daishi offers spectacular views of the Kose River, Yasaka Lake, and distant mountain peaks. There are large rocks on the summit, perfect for relaxing on.
8. Two Deer Falls
This is a relatively short hike through a gorge to Two Deer Falls. There is a designated parking lot for the trail and the trail is well maintained. The waterfalls are probably less the a half kilometer away. But the trail continues past the waterfalls for those looking to continue on. Honestly, I am not sure how far the trail continues, there is an old mine on top of one of the hills that is fun to explore. It seems like the river follows an old road that is obviously no longer in use.
This is a popular destination for swimming, especially in the summer. You can see people jumping from rocks into the natural pools.
Conclusion
These hiking trails in and around Iwakuni are perfect for anyone looking to get out and explore some of Iwakuni’s most beautiful nature. From mountain trails to scaling stairs alongside waterfalls, these well-maintained trails are the perfect escape for nature enthusiasts looking for nice hikes in this beautiful region. There is no shortage of beautiful hikes in and around Iwakuni, so get out there are explore.
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