Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni: A Day Trip from Hiroshima (2026 Prices, Ropeway, Castle and 100+ Soft-Serve Flavours)

Quick answer: Kintaikyo is a five-arched wooden bridge over the Nishiki River in Iwakuni, about 45 minutes from Hiroshima by JR plus a 20-minute bus (or about 10 minutes from Iwakuni IC by car). The toll went up on 1 September 2026: ¥500 return (no one-way tickets), or ¥1,550 for a set ticket with the ropeway and Iwakuni Castle. After crossing, try the soft-serve at Musashi, which has more than 100 flavours. Note that the bridge’s night illumination is suspended (since 23 October 2026).

I’ve driven to Iwakuni from Hiroshima, crossed the Kintaikyo bridge and had soft-serve at the famous ice-cream shops at the far end. It’s an easy half-day from Hiroshima, and it pairs well with Miyajima, which is on the same train line. Here’s what to know.

The bridge

Kintaikyo has five wooden arches on stone piers — the arches rise and fall as you walk across. It was first built in 1673 by the local lord, washed away, rebuilt in 1674, and then stood for 276 years until a typhoon flood in 1950. It was rebuilt in wood in 1953 and again in 2002–2004.

• Toll (from 1 September 2026): ¥500 for adults, ¥250 for elementary school children, return only — there’s no one-way ticket.
• Hours: the bridge is open 24 hours. The ticket booth is staffed in the daytime; at other times, put the toll in the honesty box.
• Night illumination: normally lit until 22:00, but suspended from 23 October 2026 until further notice.

Ropeway and Iwakuni Castle

Across the bridge, in Kikko Park, a ropeway climbs to Iwakuni Castle (rebuilt in 1962) on the hilltop.

• Ropeway: 9:00–17:00, every 15 minutes, about 3 minutes’ ride.
• Closures: the ropeway (and so the castle) is closed on 29 October and 26 November 2026, from 14:00 on 23 and 31 December, and for its annual inspection from 12 January to mid-February 2027.
• Walking up: the hiking trail from Momijidani Park to the castle has been closed since June 2026 after a landslide.
• You can’t upgrade a bridge ticket to a set ticket later, so decide before you buy.

Soft-serve: Musashi vs Kojiro

At the far end of the bridge are two rival ice-cream shops, framed locally as a duel between the famous swordsmen Musashi and Kojiro. Musashi (むさし) is known for having more than 100 soft-serve flavours; Sasakiya Kojiro (佐々木屋小次郎商店) next door has its own long list. I had soft-serve here myself.

More to see

• Iwakuni White Snake Museum (岩国シロヘビの館): Iwakuni’s white snakes are a national natural monument. ¥200 for adults, 9:00–17:00. About 10 minutes’ walk from the Kintaikyo bus stop.
• Iwakuni-zushi: a local pressed sushi made in large wooden boxes, with layers of rice, egg, fish flakes, shiitake and Iwakuni’s lotus root. Several restaurants near the bridge serve it.
• Cormorant fishing (ukai): summer evenings only (1 June – 10 September in 2026).

Getting there from Hiroshima

• By car: about 10 minutes from Iwakuni IC on the Sanyo Expressway. The riverside Shimogawara car park (about 300 spaces) is free on weekdays and ¥300 a day on weekends and holidays in spring and autumn.
• By JR: Sanyo Line from Hiroshima to Iwakuni Station, about 45–50 minutes, ¥770, then a bus to Kintaikyo, about 20 minutes, ¥300.
• By shinkansen: Hiroshima to Shin-Iwakuni, 16 minutes on the Kodama, then a bus (about 15 minutes) or taxi.
• Note: Iwakuni is in Yamaguchi Prefecture, just over the border from Hiroshima. The old Miyajima–Iwakuni ferry is currently not running.

Combine it with Miyajima

Miyajimaguchi is on the JR Sanyo Line between Hiroshima and Iwakuni, so you can do both in one day:

1. Morning: Miyajima (go early).
2. Afternoon: JR from Miyajimaguchi to Iwakuni, then the bus to Kintaikyo.
3. Evening: back to Hiroshima.

See Miyajima Day Trip, Hiroshima Day 2 and Where to Stay in Hiroshima.

FAQ

How much does it cost to cross Kintaikyo?
¥500 return for adults from 1 September 2026 (it used to be ¥310). There’s no one-way ticket.

Is the bridge lit up at night?
Normally yes, but the illumination has been suspended since 23 October 2026. Check the Iwakuni tourism website.

How long do I need?
Crossing the bridge itself only takes a few minutes; allow more time if you add the ropeway, the castle and the ice cream.

Is Kintaikyo in Hiroshima?
No — it’s in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, but it’s an easy day trip from Hiroshima.

Prices, hours and closures checked on the Iwakuni City and Iwakuni tourism websites on 26 October 2026.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.