White Snakes of Iwakuni

岩国のシロヘビ

Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture is home to a unique albino snake that is generally found nowhere else in Japan.

These harmless white snakes are officially designated as national treasures and can grow to around 1.8m in length.

Jake Davies

Kikko Park, across the river on the Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni is the place to see the snakes which are thought of as symbols of Benten, one of Japan's Seven Lucky Gods or Shichifukujin.

Snakes in Japan are considered lucky and are believed to attract wealth, you may come across snake-skin wallets or people who carry a bit of snake skin in their wallet or purse.

The place in Kikko Park where the snakes are kept is open from 9am-5pm. Nishi-Iwakuni Station is the nearest station to Kikko Park. Kikko Park also contains Kikko Shrine, the Iwakuni Art Museum and the Kikkawa Museum.

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Japan animals
benten
Yamaguchi
Iwakuni
Japanese snakes