We took snacks and something to sit on, but neither are necessary. There are some food stands at the event and sitting on the ground (concrete) is an option, as is standing to watch the fireworks.

The Iwakuni Port Fireworks event is not too far from the base, but there’s not a whole lot of parking. I’ve been told that there is parking at the elementary school right past the port, but it fills up pretty quickly.

Another option is to take the bus from Iwakuni Station. When I took the bus last year, the cost was ¥170 each way for adults and ¥90 each way for children. The bus started departing from Bus Stop 1 (in front of the station) at 1730 and continued to shuttle passengers to the port until 2015. The buses returning to Iwakuni Station started departing the port area at 2000 and ended at 2200. I will say that the line for the bus to return to Iwakuni Station was very long. My friend and I waited in line for a while to get on a bus going back. We were expecting it though so it was fine.

The fireworks started at 2000 and ended at 2100. I took the bus and arrived at the event at around 1900. There were still some great spots available when I got there. For those planning on driving, I do recommend going earlier because parking might be a little bit of a challenge.

Here is the pin – https://goo.gl/maps/xy2K7rVYak32 **parking is a little past the port, on the left**

According to their website, the Iwakuni Port Fireworks event is held on the 3rd Saturday in July every year.

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I was in love with this cake and chocolate shop before I even walked through the door. I have a thing for old Japanese houses with lovely gardens.

The entrance is very nice, and they have different cacao bits from different areas to sample. The ones in the photo below are cacao beans from Peru.

Then I walked in and saw the display case full of cakes. Beautiful cakes. Cakes that looked so delicious. Cakes. I was in my happy place.

It was so hard to decide, but luckily I went with two friends who also couldn’t decide so we ordered four different cakes to share. In hindsight, four cakes may have been a little ambitious. The logical side of me said three cakes to share would be enough, but the greedy side said we could eat four with no problem. I swear I had a major sugar buzz after we were done. Maybe I should have listened to my logical side.

This white tiramisu caught our attention as soon as we walked up to the display case and became our first choice. It was light and it was delicious. Pretty to look at too! I was also in love with the forks here.

This Mont Blanc was delightful. The chestnut cream was really good, but what really got me was the unexpected surprise in the middle. There was a little dollop of what looked like a citrus marmalade inside. It went so well with the chestnut and whipped cream.

So, we knew we had to order the cheesecake. Cheesecake is always a must. Right? This cheesecake ended up being our absolute favorite out of the four cakes we tried.

The cake next to it is a mango mousse cake. I couldn’t taste the mango at first. It was good, but the chocolate bottom kind of overpowered the mango flavor. When I ate the mousse by itself, I could taste the mango. It was really good so I wish the bottom portion was made with something a little lighter in flavor.

The drinks are interesting. I wanted some coffee to enjoy with my cake, but when I looked over the drink menu I didn’t see coffee anywhere. Then I saw “Cacao coffee” on the menu, and asked what it was. The lady behind the counter explained that it was a coffee made with a blend of cacao beans and coffee beans. Sounds good to me! One of my friends asked about the matcha on the menu, and the lady explained that it is a matcha and cacao blend. My friend even got to choose which cacao she wanted to blend with her matcha, and she went with cacao from Ghana. My friend let me try her drink and ohhhh my….. I know what I’m getting next time! My cacao coffee was good too. Smooth and not sweet at all, so it went well with all of the cakes I ate.

Drinks are ordered and paid for at a different counter, after you choose and pay for the cakes you want to eat there.

If chocolates are more your thing, they are located in the back, next to the seating area. The chocolates are pretty and come in many different flavors. I also think these beauties would make a lovely gift.

The seating area is nice, but not very big. Some of the seats have great views of the garden. Unfortunately, I did not get any decent shots of the seating area, or of the garden. I guess this means I need to go back!

It took us less than an hour to get to Chocolaterie Cacaoka by car, and they do have a small parking lot. If you plan to go on the weekend though, be prepared for a crowd. From what I’ve heard, it gets crowded early and stays that way pretty much all day. We went on a weekday afternoon and although it wasn’t too busy when we got there, it was packed when we left.

Chocolaterie Cacaoka is also located near the Japan Mint (Hiroshima Branch). The Japan Mint has a variety of cherry blossoms trees on their grounds, and every year they open it up to the public so everyone can enjoy the beautiful flowers. It could be a beautiful way to walk off a delicious piece of cake from Cacaoka.

Here is the link to the Japan Mint website. They’ll post the dates they will be open here. – https://www.mint.go.jp/enjoy-eng/sakura-eng/eng-viewing-intro.html

Here is the pin for Chocolaterie Cacoka Hiroshima – https://goo.gl/maps/UYbSLBQrFpH2

Here is the pin for the Japan Mint in Hiroshima – https://goo.gl/maps/b8gBSzC641T2

There is no parking available at the Japan Mint and the parking at Cacaoka is very limited, but there are some pay parking lots in the area. It is a pretty short walk to Cacaoka from the Mint.

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Momijidani Park at Kintai

This has long been one of my favorite fall foliage spots!

Can you see why I come here every single year? I spend most of my lunch breaks walking around here just taking in the colors and this scenery. Most people don’t even realize this gorgeous spot is in Iwakuni. Located in the Kintai area, Momijidani Park is one place I highly recommend during fall.

Here is the pin for Momijidani Park at Kintai

This is also where one of the hiking paths up to the Iwakuni Castle begins. It’s a nice little hike any time of the year, but it can be quite buggy in the summer.

Miyajima

Miyajima is beautiful any time of the year, but it is extra beautiful in the fall. Momijidani Park on Miyajima is my favorite spot to head to in November, but there are some other places that I love to visit for fall colors.

Be sure to walk all the way through the park and continue exploring around the back portion. It’s really gorgeous all the way through.

Afterwards, head over to the Daishoin Temple. Just like the Momijidani Park area, be sure to walk around the entire temple grounds.

Hiking up to Mt. Misen or taking the ropeway up is also very beautiful in the fall.

Mitaki Temple in Hiroshima

Mitaki Temple is one of Hiroshima City’s best kept secrets. Hard to imagine this temple and the lovely grounds that surround it are just 15 minutes away from downtown Hiroshima (depending on traffic).

There’s a little pagoda on the grounds with a few maple trees around it that I love. 

When walking up to the temple, there is a lovely spot on the left where you can enjoy a matcha and a sweet (for a fee) while looking at a garden with a waterfall. 

I recommend visiting Mitaki Temple early in the morning. The parking lot is not very big and it fills up very quickly. The first time I went, I arrived a little after 0800 (on a weekday) and I got one of the last spots. When I was ready to leave, there were people waiting for a parking space to open up. 

This is another spot that is really nice to visit just about any time of the year. I went in the rain one summer, and it was so green and so pretty. Be sure to walk around and see everything. The grounds are quite large.

They are open from 0800 – 1700.

The pin for Mitaki Temple is here

Buttsuji Temple in Mihara

Buttsuji is also a temple that is nice to visit any time of the year. I first visited this temple in December a couple of years ago and really enjoyed walking around the temple grounds. As I walked around, however, I noticed all of the maple leaves on the ground. I started thinking about how amazing this place must be in the fall and decided I needed to come back the following fall. 

This was the closest I got to seeing some pretty colors when I went the first time. 

I did manage to go last November though, and I was NOT disappointed! 

It was pretty crowded, but so worth it. The colors were amazing! Looking at these photos is making me want to go again this year.

Can you see why this is one of my favorite fall foliage spots?? 

Last year, I visited Buttsuji on the 19th of November. It was very beautiful, but a lot of leaves had already fallen off so I couldn’t help but wonder how it was the weekend prior to that. Of course, every year it is a little bit different because it all depends on Mother Nature. Typically, if you visit around the second and third week of November, you will be able to enjoy the pretty colors. 

Buttsuji has a few different parking areas, but they do fill up pretty quickly and stay pretty full throughout the day. We had to park at one of the lots that was further away, but it was a very nice walk to the temple grounds from there so we didn’t mind at all. 

Here is the pin for Buttsuji

There are so many beautiful spots to enjoy the autumn colors that are not too far from Iwakuni, and I hope the places in this blog post help you plan some fall adventures! 

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Paper lanterns can be purchased by anyone who wants to place one in the river. Once purchased, you can write your message of peace and then take it down to the river. When you get down on the riverbank, someone will help you put your lantern together and light a candle in it.  After that, you can hand it off to the volunteers who place the lanterns in the river. The line to purchase the lantern and the line to place your lantern in the river can be very long. However, the lines move quickly so don’t let that dissuade you. 

Having grown up in Iwakuni, I was always told to stay away from Hiroshima on the 6th of August. I think it was a different time back then. Now, people from all over the world come on this day to pay their respects and place a lantern in the river. The first time I went, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I can’t even begin to describe what it was like to see the thousands of lanterns floating down the river. It was a little bit overwhelming for me. Thinking about all of the lives lost, reading the messages of peace, and seeing thousands of people from all over the world gathering in this spot. I’m getting goose bumps just thinking about it now. It is something I think everyone should experience. 

The event starts at 6:00, but the lines for the paper lanterns start before then. There is a small fee to cover the costs of the lanterns, and markers are provided to write messages and decorate the lanterns. I recommend walking around the main area of the event, which is across from the Atomic Bomb Dome. After the lanterns start floating down the river, head over to the other side of the bridge to get a different view. It’s not quite as crowded on that side of the bridge and it’s a little darker.  I enjoy the break from the crowds and I’m always able to find a spot to sit and watch the lanterns float by.

My preferred way to get there is by train. I’m not sure how bad the traffic might be, or how difficult it might be to get parking. Since the date usually falls on a weekday and I’m heading there after work, I prefer to just sit on the train and not have to worry about traffic or parking. 

If you decide to travel by train, purchase round trip tickets.  This way you won’t have to deal with the lines at the ticket machines in Hiroshima Station when heading back. Another way to avoid the lines at the ticket machines is to purchase an ICOCA Card. With this card, you can put money on it and just scan your way through the gates at the station. You can add money to your card at the ticket machines or the charging stations usually located near the gates. 

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They are only open during certain seasons, and I have visited them for all three of their flower seasons. I love flowers so I could easily spend the entire day at Sera Farm, taking pictures.

My photos do not do the flowers justice, but hopefully they will make you want to add this place to your long list of places to visit while you are here. I do recommend visiting for all three flower seasons. They’re all so beautiful. 

Tulips

From mid-April through mid-May, Sera Farm is full of beautiful tulips! Approximately 200,000 of them! This is the largest tulip farm in Japan (as of 2018). 

There are so many colors and varieties of tulips. No matter how many times I go to Sera Farm, I am amazed at how beautiful it is. 

They change the layout of the tulip fields every year, and that is what makes me want to go back year, after year. 

Sunflowers

In August, Sera Farm has fields of gorgeous sunflowers. With approximately 50 varieties and a little over 100,000 sunflowers, it is an impressive sight. This is where I learned that there are many different varieties of sunflowers. I had only seen one type so I had no idea!

I loved how this one was standing so tall in a field of sunflowers that were of a different variety. 

These cuties can be seen in the fields, but sometimes you have to really look for them. Seeing all of the sunflowers is always more than enough to make me super happy, but then I find one of these and I can’t help but giggle. They’re just so cute! 

Dahlias

From early September through somewhere around the middle of October, Sera Farm hosts their annual Dahlia Festival. The dahlias are so colorful and some of the flowers are huge!

I just love all of the beautiful colors! Spending time surrounded by beautiful, colorful flowers is always good for the soul. 

Aren’t these pretty?? 

Sera Farm is a great day trip spot from Iwakuni. It takes about  2 hours to get there by car, and there is plenty of free parking at the farm. I like to get off at the Hiroshima Airport exit and take the regular roads from there. Sometimes Google Maps will have you stay on the expressway and exit further up the expressway. It really doesn’t save a whole lot of time and it costs more so I prefer to get off at the airport exit. The cost of the tolls for the round trip is approximately ¥5,000.

There are a couple of places to grab a bite to eat within Sera Farm, but they also allow people to bring food and drinks into the park so you have the option to have a little picnic. Just be sure to take your trash with you when you leave. 

The fee to enter the park is ¥800 per adult, and ¥400 for children ages 4-12.

Information on where the flowers are in the blooming process can be found here.

The pin to Sera Farm is here.

Want to check out a wonderful cafe and enjoy a delicious lunch, or maybe just enjoy some coffee and dessert after walking around Sera Farm? Oheso Cafe is about 30minutes away from Sera Farm and I highly recommend checking it out! The pin to Oheso Cafe is here.

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