Over the past almost-year that I've been living in and flying away from Iwakuni, I've collected a little bit more information than I started out with. Most guide books mention the beautiful bridge that Iwakuni is known for but delve no further. My aim with this blog is to record my personal adventures while on our tour of duty in Japan, as well as to share them with family and friends, and maybe even be able to serve as inspiration to people who move to Iwakuni with motivation to get out and explore.
For my own memory as well as to help others get a feel for Iwakuni, here is a list of places I've found helpful in getting to know this beautiful city:
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First of all, get an official feel for the air station at the government-sanctioned site: MCAS Iwakuni.
Then, check out what kinds of employment, recreation, entertainment, and food options were available on base at the official MCCS (Marine Corps Community Service) site: MCCS Iwakuni.
For federal jobs (not MCCS), go to the seldom-advertised site at Job Vacancy for Americans: CHRO. Note: we are currently in a government hiring freeze, but the base is doubling in the next few years, so there will be many job openings in the future.
For me, these were the most important to get a general feel for the area. I knew nothing about the next few sites until I'd already been living in Iwakuni for a while. When you have questions about anything that you either really need a human being to answer or just need to buy a car, try these pages:
Facebook's Iwakuni Classifieds: Lots of people participate on this site and you can find your new car or furniture here.
Facebook's other, less frequented Iwakuni Classifieds: I'm not really even sure why this still exists.
Bookoo's Iwakuni Classifieds page: Not too popular, but there are some classifieds here.
Facebook's Iwakuni Spouses page: This is a good place for general questions about getting around or for family-related questions.
English-language Iwakuni Blogs:
Iwakuni Explorer: The wonderful Ernst family put together this website to share information to the Americans living in Iwakuni. You can find great restaurant reviews, outdoor activities, local events, and contribute your own adventures!
Iwakuni Beacon: Great quote: "Living in Iwakuni is like living on a cruise ship."
GetHiroshima: Not quite Iwakuni, but a great way to find things to do for day trips in Hiroshima. They have a facebook account and update it regularly with information about local events.
If you post on a blog and share about your experience in Iwakuni, please let me know so I can add to this post.
