09/09/2026
In Iwakuni, Yamaguchi prefecture, Kintaikyo Bridge is one of those rare structures where engineering and beauty are inseparable. Celebrated as one of Japan's Three Famous Bridges, its five graceful wooden arches span the Nishiki River in a sweeping, unhurried curve that has been drawing visitors, artists, and admirers for over 350 years.
The story of Kintaikyo began in 1673 under Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, the third lord of the Iwakuni domain. Previous bridges across the Nishiki River had been repeatedly swept away by floods, and a more permanent solution was needed. Kintaikyo’s five-arch design, placing wooden arches on stone piers, was groundbreaking, reducing water resistance during floods and dramatically improving stability.
The bridge survived many natural disasters through the age of war, and its appearance has come to symbolise the perseverance, technical ability, and aesthetic sense of the Japanese people. Such was its fame that it has been immortalised in both Utagawa Hiroshige and Hokusai Katsushika’s paintings.
To this day, the bridge is actively maintained using traditional construction techniques, with sections periodically replaced on a rotating schedule that dates back to the Edo period. Instead of a preserved relic, but it is a living piece of architectural tradition which you can still cross today.
Walk across the five arches of Kintaikyo with us when we drop by on a drive through the fresh greenery and sparkling sights of Chugoku on a drive tour in May.
Tour details: https://www.followmejapan.com.sg/tour-package/verdant-roads-of-chugoku/
