An entire adventure theme park located underground. The premise of the adventure is based on ancient writings found in a mineshaft that leads to questions about whether the world and its history is really as we perceive it to be. The ancient underground kingdom appears to have been inspired by Mayan culture, at least as far as the statues, art, and motifs used. They have a variety of mission quests with tasks you can complete, panning for gold, digging for gemstones, as well as caves and waterfalls, a restaurant, and an onsen.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
とことこトレイン
A 40-minute sightseeing train that travels through a "Dream Tunnel" that is filled with pictures made of fluorescent glowing stones, to Sozukyo Onsen.
岩国城 Iwakuni-jō
Although the original castle only stood for seven years, that was excuse enough for a reconstruction during the 1960s. The foundations of the original lie a short distance behind the new one; the builders apparently decided to move it closer to the cliff for scenic purposes. Inside the castle is a small historical museum.
岩国美術館 Iwakuni bijutsukan
Art and artifacts about samurai life, including some remarkable sword exhibits. The admission is a bit steep, but you'll find better English information here than elsewhere.
旧目加田家住宅 Kyū metaka-ke jūtaku
The home of another family of Kikkawa retainers. (Don't try to enter either, though; they're still private residences.)
吉香公園
A pleasant green spot on the other side of the bridge, with some lovely flower gardens, large sprinklers for a soak on a summer day, and a popular cherry blossom viewing spot in April. Expect to meet some chatty locals here. The entrance to the park is overseen by a statue of Hiroyoshi Kikkawa, the feudal lord who directed the construction of the Kintai-kyo; the park was built on the grounds of the Kikkawa family home. There are two museums in the park for visitors interested in samurai culture and feudal Iwakuni.
長屋門 Nagaya-mon
At the south end of the park, you'll see the dramatic gate, the home of the Kagawa family who were the Kikkawa's principal samurai retainers.