Yamanashi

Saruhashi - the Monkey Bridge

One of three famous ancient bridges in Japan

Cathy Cawood Aug 21, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Not bad for engineering from the eighth century!</p>

<p>There are infrequent buses from Saruhashi JR Station, but it's not too far to walk - about 20 minutes.</p>

<p>The modern road bridge nearby has a monkey motif that references the legend of the bridge's inspiration</p>

<p>Distant glimpse of the bridge through the trees</p>

<p>A small red shrine stands on one side of the bridge</p>

<p>Other more modern bridges span the gorge near Saruhashi</p>

<p>Tiles protect the beams and give the bridge an almost fairy tale appearance</p>

<p>View of Saruhashi from a path that descends into the gorge</p>

<p>The ingenious cantilevered construction of the bridge</p>

Located in Otsuki is one of Japan's most famous bridges. The 1300 year old wooden bridge crosses the Katsura River in Yamanashi as it flows between two high cliffs. The ingenious cantilevered design is said to have been inspired by monkeys holding hands to cross the river. Obviously it must have been rebuilt many times, but the basic design has never been changed. I was there on a drizzly day in August, but I want to return in autumn when the trees around the bridge are ablaze with color.

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Find out more about Saruhashi Bridge.

Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...