Iwakuni

Iwakuni is great destination when close to Hiroshima.
Points of interest are here the Kintai Bridge and the nearby Iwakuni castle.
The famous Kintai Bridge (Kintai-kyo) is the city’s most popular sightseeing spot.
The Kintai Bridge spans the Nishiki river and was first constructed in 1673 by Hiroyoshi Kikkawa. The bridge stood until September 14, 1950 when it was destroyed by the typhoon “Kijiya”.[12] The bridge began being rebuilt only a week later and was completed in 1953. It was a recreation of the original and was built using traditional techniques. Since the first reconstruction, the Kintai Bridge has undergone some renovation. The latest renovation was completed in 2004.[13] Its five arches are a symbol of western Honshū. The Kintai Bridge is about 20 minutes from Iwakuni Station by bus. It also takes about 15 minutes from Shin-Iwakuni Station of Sanyo-Shinkansen.Several buses provide service from Iwakuni and Shin-Iwakuni Station to the Kintai Bridge every day.
Be aware that using the bridge is not the free the admission is 300 yen (round trip).
Directly connected to it is the Iwakuni castle it´s build on a small mountain and the view from the top is amazing especially during sunny weather. The castle is accessible by ropeway or a path located next to the ropeway. Admissions are as following:
260 yen (castle only)
550 yen (ropeway round trip)
940 yen (castle, ropeway and bridge combination ticket)
Many other activities and points of interest are scattered throughout the small park-like area including some museums like the white snake museum and various restaurants.