Living on a military base is alot like living in the US. We have US products in US stores and we use US currency to make purchese. The movies are all in English, the fast food joints are familiar. The only thing that is even slightly different is our cars, they are small and squat and the steering wheel is on the wrong side.
But right out the gate is a different world. Like most military bases, directly out the gate are bars and T-shirt shops, a few so-so restaurants, car dealers and hidden away prostitutes. But that is neither the US or Japan, that is another world designed to attact the young man and separate him from his money.
Iwakuni is further down the road. Iwakuni is where crime is almost unheard of. Where women can walk the steets night or day and not worry about being accosted. Were bikes don't get stolen and cars down get broken into. I often wonder why its that way in Japan, but I think its because there are jobs available for anyone who wants one and the cost of leaving is higher for the average Japanese. Also its a different culture.
On a scale of 1-5, if I were to visit Japan, Iwakuni wouldn't be on my stop at all. There is little for the Western tourist to see or do here. I guess the most famous site is the Kintai Bridge, which I will have to post a picture of one of these days. It was originally built in the 1673 and its 3 large humps, obviously not for wheeled vehicles, only for walkers. The design was inspired by a Ming dynasty Chinese monk who settle in Japan and wrote accounts of the famed stone bridges of China.
Above the Bridge is the Iwakuni castle, which again is not worth the effort to visit, expecially if you have seen the beautiful Kochi, Heminji and Kawagawa castles.
There is a great little art museum and a white snake display,and some of the most beautiful gardens, but again, there are beautiful gardens all over Japan.
But I do like Iwakuni and I enjoy living here because unlike most of Japan that is wall to wall houses and buildings and crowds, Iwakuni has fields of flowers and small gardens where families grow their over veggies. Rice fields are plentiful and Lotus grows just about everywhere. You can breath in Iwakuni and you can find some great places to eat, and there is always things to do and shows going on and festivals and celebrations.
It is about 40 miles from Hiroshima which is another tale I will have to tell you about.
I also want to talk about the bullet trains and some of the other adventurs that we have been on since our arrival in Japan. Unfortunately our trip is about to end, but the adventure will always continue.