“Kintaikyo Bridge” is a wooden bridge called one of Japan’s three famous bridges, which was built in 1673. The bridge is consisted of five beautiful arches. You can feel the wisdom of the people from the bridge that has been strengthened and rebuilt every time it was swept away by the Nishiki River. The total length of the bridge is 193.3m, and the highest point of the arch is about 13m from the riverbed. There are also museums, Interesting soft cream shops, and other attractions near Kintaikyo Bridge.
Kintaikyo Bridge is located near Iwakuni Castle (岩国城), so visiting together There is recommended.
Attraction
Kintaikyo Bridge
Admission fee
General : 310 yen
Elementary school students : 150 yen
Toll booth Opening hours
8:00 ～ 17:00
※ No regular holiday
※ The bridge can be crossed 24 hours a day.
※ When there is no one at the toll gate, please put your toll in the night toll box and cross.
History
The oldest surviving document that can confirm the existence of the bridge dates from 1639. Since the bridge was first built, it has been broken by the river flow many times. The main reason why the bridge was washed away so many times was the wide river width of about 200m and the rapid current. In addition, the riverbed was deeply gravel, so the piers built there were not able to withstand the heavy running water. Also, the engineers at that time had little experience in constructing large bridges, and it seems that they did not have the skills to build firm piers on gravel. Since its construction, it has undergone several improvements to its current state.
chronology
~1639 bridge exists
1654 wash away and moved by ferry
1657 reconstruction
1659 wash away
1673 reconstruction
1674 flood washed away and rebuilt
1950 washed away by Typhoon Kijia
1951 reconstruction
Technology
In the end, they thought that an arch bridge without piers would not be washed away. However, it was impossible with the technology at the time to bridge the wide river width of about 200m with a single arch. Therefore, they decided to build some small islands on the river and build an arch bridge over them.
Kuragi and Tasukegi(鞍木, 助木)
Suppresses shaking when people cross the bridge.
Kazuraishi and Kamenokoishi(葛石, 亀の甲石)
Prevent rainwater from entering the inside of the pier and corroding the base of the arch ribs (the main structural part of the arch).
Sutebashira(捨柱)
Pillars to prevent driftwood on the upstream side of the bridge.
Iwakuni Shirohebi Museum (岩国シロヘビの館)
At the Iwakuni Shirohebi Museum, an albino snakes are on display. Due to its divine appearance, the white snakes have long been regarded as messenger of the gods by the people of Iwakuni. People believe that white snakes are auspicious and bring good luck with money.
Admission fee
Adult : 200 yen
Elementary and junior high school students : 100 yen
Opening hours
9:00 ～ 17:00
※ No regular holiday
Kashiwabara Museum（柏原美術館）
The Kashiwara Museum exhibits many works of art and weapons from the Nara period to the Edo period (710～1867). Among them, there are many exhibits from the Sengoku period to the end of the Edo period (1467～1867), and the “Kawanakajima battle screen” and “Takeda army formation screen” are on permanent display. In addition to the permanent exhibits, there are also “special exhibits” exhibiting works of art that have colored the lives of samurai families throughout the seasons.
Admission fee
Adult : 800 yen
high school students : 500 yen
Elementary and junior high school students : 200 yen
Opening hours
9:00 ～ 17:00 (March to November)
9:00 ～ 16:00 (December to February)
Regular holiday : Tuesdays (Open on national holidays)
Kikkawa Museum (吉川史料館)
Kikkawa Museum is a museum of the Yoshikawa family who was the lord of the Iwakuni domain. Historical materials and arts and crafts are displayed.
Admission fee
Adult : 500 yen
University and high school students : 300 yen
Elementary and junior high school students : 200 yen
Opening hours
9:00 ～ 17:00 (Last admission is 16:30)
Regular holiday : Wendesdays (If Wednesday is a national holiday, the next day will be closed)
※ Closed from December 29th to January 1st
Kikko U-no-sato(吉香 鵜の里)
“U” means bird cormorant and “Ukai” means fishing using cormorants. Ukai is one of the Japanese fishing methods to catch a river fish by well tamed and trained cormorants. At Kikko U-no-sato, you can see exhibits about the history of cormorant fishing, videos, and see cormorants in captivity. The room is air-conditioned and has chairs and a nursing room, so you can use it as a rest room. Depending on the time of year you visit, you can actually see cormorant fishing. For more information, please refer to the “cormorant fishing” article below.
Opening hours
9:00 ～ 17:00
Admission : free
※ No regular holiday
soft cream shops Kojiro and Musashi (むさし・小次郎）
Near Kintaikyo Bridge, there are interesting shops called “Musashi” and “Kojiro” that sells over 100 types of soft ice cream. They sell soft ice cream in not only regular flavors such as strawberry and caramel, but also unusual flavors such as garlic, natto, and ramen.
Opening hours
9:00 ～ 17:00
※ No regular holiday
Season and Event
There are about 3,000 cherry blossom trees around the bridge, and there is a famous spot for cherry blossoms in spring (end of March to early April) and autumn leaves in autumn (end of November).
pleasure boat (Sakura boat, Maple boat)
From the boat, you can see the cherry blossoms on both sides of the riverbed.
Boarding fee
①Chartered pleasure boat, 1 hour (reservation required)
Junior high school students and older: 1,200 yen
Elementary school student: 600 yen
2years old and younger: Free
※ Two children under elementary school age will be charged the dwarf (elementary school) fee for one child (free for children under 2 years old).
※ From 6 people or more. If there are less than 6 people, the price for 6 adults will be charged.
②Mini pleasure boat, 20 minutes
Junior high school students and older: 500 yen
Elementary school student: 300 yen
Under elementary school: Free
Operating hours
March – May 11:00 ～ 17:00 (Sakura boat)
September, November 11:00-14:00 (Maple boat)
cormorant fishing
At Kintaikyo Bridge, you can see cormorant fishing from a pleasure boat in the summer. Please enjoy the fishing unfolding up close.
Boarding fee
Adult : 3,000 yen
Elementary school student: 1,500 yen
※ Two children under elementary school age will be charged the dwarf (elementary school) fee for one child (free for children under 2 years old).
Opening hours
June – September 19:00 ～ 21:00
Fire works
Every August, a fireworks display is held at Kintai Bridge. Cormorant fishing is held here, and there are many food stalls and it’s a lively place, so you can enjoy a Japanese summer festival for yourself.
Access
You can access Kintaikyo Bridge by bus from Hiroshima bus center station, Shin-Iwakuni Station or Iwakuni Station.
It you use Long distance bus
① JR Hiroshima Station
↓ 1 min
② Hiroden Hiroshima Station
↓ 8 min tram
③ Hiroden Kamiyacho Station (紙屋町駅)
↓ 4 min walk
④ Hiroshima bus center Stop (広島バスセンター), No.1 Iwakuni line（岩国・錦帯橋行）
↓ 60 min bus
⑤ Get off at Kintaikyo Stop (錦帯橋駅)
Time : about 1 hour 20 minutes
Fare : 1,170 yen
If you use Shinkansen
① JR Hiroshima Station
↓ 14 min Shinkansen
② JR Shin-Iwakuni Station, West Exit
↓ 1 min walk
③ Shin-Iwakuni Stop (新岩国駅), No.21 Muronoki・Iwakuni Station line（室の木・岩国駅行）
↓ 12 min bus
④ Get off at Kintaikyo Stop (錦帯橋駅)
Time : about 40 minutes
Fare : 3,210 yen
If you use JR
① JR Hiroshima Station
↓ 50 min
② JR Iwakuni Station, West Exit
↓ 2 min walk
③ Iwakuni Stop (岩国駅), No.21 Muronoki・Shin-Iwakuni Station line（室の木・新岩国駅行）
↓ 12 min bus
④ Get off at Kintaikyo Stop (錦帯橋駅)
Time : about 1 hour 30 minutes
Fare : 1,070 yen
Summary
At Kintaikyo Bridge, you can see the beautiful appearance of the bridge every season. There are several sightseeing spots nearby that you can walk around, including Iwakuni Castle. One of the best time to visit is in spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.
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