Kintai Bridge

Kintai Bridge has been designated as a National Scenic Location of Japan, and it is also one of Japan’s Three Famous Bridges.
It is a beautiful and large 5-story arch bridge, with a total length of 193.3 meters and a width of 5 meters.

It was built in 1673, taking inspiration from Kintai Bridge in West Lake, Hangzhou, China.
Later, in 1950, the bridge was washed away in a flood, and it was then rebuilt in 1953.
In 2004 Japan’s Kintai Bridge was named a sister bridge to Hangzhou’s Kintai Bridge, and a stone monument commemorating the bridges’ relationship is being built.

Kintai Bridge has a unique structure unlike anything else in all the world, and it is also hoping to be registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
Thanks to the durable wooden arches that make up the bridge, the it becomes even sturdier as pressure from above is applied. You can clearly see the technique used for the wooden arches’ construction from beneath the bridge.

Depending on the season, the bridge may be lit up at night.
Kintai Bridge is also a famous cherry blossom viewing location. It is a beautiful area in all four seasons, with cherry blossoms in the spring, cormorant fishing and fireworks in the summer, autumn leaves of the surrounding forest in the fall, and snow scenes in the winter.