What remains of the old samurai quarter in Iwakuni now forms pleasant Kikkō-kōen, accessed via Kintai-kyō bridge. Within the park are old residences, a pavilion, a couple of museums, ice-cream vendors and spots for picnicking. Worth a look is the exterior of the Mekata Family Residence, the former home of a middle-ranking samurai family from the mid-Edo period.
Reptile enthusiasts and kids might want to pop into the small White Snake Viewing Facility, where several of the bizarre albino snakes unique to Iwakuni are on display.
