Japan, Iwakuni - Kintai-kyo
When I travel, I typically do not have a fixed itinerary or a list of sights to experience. My preference being to wander around without any fixed plans while hoping to serendipitously chance upon local gems not listed in any travel guide books. But occasionally, I did have an item on my to-do-to-visit list which I usually picked up while browsing magazines or watching travel shows on TV. The Kintai-kyo is one such item. Having been "introduced" to this historical wooden arch bridge while watching a travel documentary on Japan's NHK channel, I decided that when the opportunity presented itself, I will try to visit this local icon in the city of Iwakuni. That opportunity came in July 2019 when I visited the nearby city of Hiroshima. Taking the local train line from Hiroshima, it was easy to get to Iwakuni in neighbouring Yamaguchi Prefecture. Switching from the train to a local bus after arriving at Iwakuni Station, I finally arrived at Kintai-kyo which spans across the N