Iwakuni

Kintai-kyo, a five-arched wooden bridge first built in 1673, is the centrepiece of this castle town in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. Iwakuni's identity has been shaped by two distinct eras of military presence — the samurai who once crossed that bridge, and a U.S. Marine Corps base that remains active in the city today. The wider region holds several UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the city sits between the coast and mountain terrain.

• Population129,125
• Nearest water from center0.1 km
• Nearest mountain from center9.4 km
• UNESCO within 50 km2