Iwakuni Castle was built in 1608, at the beginning of the Edo Period. The site of the castle was chosen for its natural defensive advantages on top of Mount Shiroyama and half surrounded by a natural moat, the Nishiki River. The castle keep is four stories high, and looks out onto the city 200 meters below.
Probably a source of considerable frustration for those who built it, the original castle lasted only slightly longer than the time it took to construct it. Being built over the course of five years, the castle was torn down by decree of the shogun a mere seven years after its completion.
The present reconstruction dates from 196
