When Iwakuni was first established, it was here on both sides of the Nishiki River. After Iwakuni Castle was built in 1608, the Kikkawa family, who ruled over the castle town, decided to establish a bridge to cross the river moat. And the third feudal lord, Hiroyoshi Kikkawa, chose the curved design.
According to the Official Tourism Website for Iwakuni, Hiroyoshi got the idea from a Chinese monk named Dokuryo. The monk had a journal about sightseeing around the West Lake of China in which his hometown of Hangzhou was also depicted. Hiroyoshi saw a picture in the journal of several stone bridges, which inspired the look of Kintaikyo.
Kintaikyo stretches for 193.3 m (634 ft) long and 5 m (16.4 ft) wide across the Nishiki River and consists of five wooden arches supported by three stone piers. The arches are made from Japanese cypress, zelkova, pine, white cedar, chestnut, and oak. The foundation consists of reinforced concrete while the outer is finished with granite. It’s a continuous structure, and was originally built without a single nail. The design is certainly unique and it was a pretty fun experience walking up and down each arch, following the curves.
The bridge withstood the elements for 276 years until 1950, when heavy floods caused by Typhoon Kezia washed it away. It took a few years, but in 1953 the bridge was rebuilt once more. In 2005, another typhoon struck, causing extensive damage.
Kintaikyo is considered to be one of the most famous arched bridges in the world. In Japan, it’s also designated a National Treasure and is a popular spot for hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, in the spring.
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