Statue of Sasaki Kojiro

The bronze statue of Sasaki Kojiro placed near Kintaikyo Bridge is said to have been installed by Eiji Yoshikawa, author of the novel “Sasaki Kojiro,” himself. The statue is posed in the “Tsubame-gaeshi” stance, inspired by imagery from Yoshikawa’s novel. Sasaki Kojiro is known as a master swordsman who is believed to have been active from the Azuchi–Momoyama to Edo period and served the Hosokawa clan, lords of Kokura. While details are uncertain, in the novel he is depicted as being from the Iwakuni domain, which is why the statue stands here. Near the statue are also a song monument for “Iwakuni Castle,” a stone monument inscribed with a passage from Yoshikawa’s novel, and several other monuments honoring notable figures from the area. Access to the Sasaki Kojiro statue: by car, it’s about 7 minutes from Sanyo Expressway “Iwakuni IC.” By public transportation, take the Iwakuni Bus from JR Sanyo Shinkansen / Sanyo Main Line “Iwakuni Station,” ride about 10 minutes to “Kintaikyo” bus stop, then walk about 10 minutes.