Kintaikyo Bridge, Iwakuni, Japan
The Kintaikyo Bridge has been Iwakuni’s most distinguished landmark and a subject of admiration for hundreds of years. The elegant, wooden bridge makes five bold arches onto massive stone pillars as it crosses over the Nishiki River.
Plans for the Kintaikyo were first drawn up when strong currents had once again destroyed a bridge crossing the Nishiki River. A more durable bridge was commissioned by Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, the third feudal lord of Iwakuni, whose statue stands at the entrance to nearby Kikko Park. After the bridge’s completion in 1673, it kept standing until 1950, when Iwakuni was struck by a violent typhoon.
Epic Japan Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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