South-west along the coast from Iwakuni, Yanai was a prosperous trading port in the Edo period, and one street of that merchant town survives almost intact: about two hundred metres of two-storey houses with thick white plaster walls, tiled roofs and wooden lattice fronts.
From the eaves hang Yanai’s emblem, the goldfish lantern — a round red-and-white paper fish with a surprised expression. In mid-August thousands are lit for the town’s lantern festival.
Top things to do: Yanai White-Wall Town
Stroll the white-wall street
The preserved quarter is an officially protected historic district. Several merchant houses are open as small museums, showing how a wealthy trading family lived and worked.
Smell the soy sauce
A traditional soy-sauce brewery on the street welcomes visitors to look at its great wooden vats; Yanai’s rich, twice-brewed soy sauce is a good souvenir.
Make a goldfish lantern
Workshops in the old quarter let you assemble your own lantern — a nice activity with children. Ask locally for current times.
How to get there
- By train: JR Sanyo Line from Iwakuni to Yanai, about 35 minutes; the old quarter is roughly ten minutes’ walk from the station.
- By car: under an hour from Iwakuni along the coast road.
Insider tips
- Yanai is quiet on weekdays; some museums close one day a week.
- The coastal train ride from Iwakuni is scenic — sit on the sea side.
- A JR regional pass can make this side trip cheaper; see our tours and passes.
Best tours & tickets: Yanai White-Wall Town
These experiences are the easiest way to see Yanai White-Wall Town and the rest of Iwakuni:
Rail pass from €85 JR West: Hiroshima–Yamaguchi Area Pass
A regional rail pass from JR West for overseas visitors, sold for the Hiroshima and Yamaguchi area. If your plan links Hiroshima, Miyajima, Iwakuni and places further into Yamaguchi, it can cost less than separate tickets. Check the listing for the exact validity, covered lines and eligibility before you buy.
- A regional JR West pass for visitors to Japan
- Covers the area that includes Hiroshima and Iwakuni
- Useful if you add Yanai or other Yamaguchi stops
Private walk from €95 Kintaikyo Bridge and Iwakuni Castle with a Local Guide (3 Hours)
The one GetYourGuide tour that starts in Iwakuni itself and covers exactly what most visitors come for. A local guide walks you over Kintaikyo, explains how the arches are built and rebuilt, leads you through Kikko Park and takes you up to the castle keep above the river. A private tour, so the pace is yours.
- Cross the five wooden arches with a local guide
- Kikko Park and the old samurai quarter
- Up the hill to Iwakuni Castle for the view
