Kintaikyo Bridge
錦帯橋
Iwakuni's wooden bridge of five arches over the Nishiki River. Rebuilt again and again since the Edo period, it is still yours to walk across.
A wooden bridge rebuilt for 350 years
Kintaikyo Bridge is a wooden bridge over the Nishiki River in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was built in 1673 by Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, the third lord of the Iwakuni domain, but was washed away by a flood soon after it was finished. The improved bridge rebuilt the following year, 1674, was then replaced again and again and kept its form for 276 years.
In September 1950, floods from Typhoon Kezia swept the bridge away. There was a plan to rebuild it in reinforced concrete, but in 1953 it was rebuilt in wood once more. From fiscal 2001 to 2003 the "Heisei rebuilding project" replaced the worn timber, and it was completed in March 2004. The bridge is designated a national Place of Scenic Beauty (a cultural property named by the government for outstanding scenery).
Walk across five arches
The bridge is about 193m long and about 5m wide, with five arches in a row over the river. It combines traditional timber joinery with metal bands and fastenings.
As you cross you can take in the flowing Nishiki River and the surrounding hills. At night it is lit up until around 10pm.
Kikko Park and Iwakuni Castle too
On the far side of the bridge lies Kikko Park, where 19th-century wooden buildings such as Kikko Shrine survive. Take the ropeway from near the park up the mountain and you reach Iwakuni Castle.
Cherry blossom blooms around the park and bridge in about April, and autumn brings the season of red leaves. In summer there is ukai (a traditional way of catching river fish using cormorants) and fireworks.
Getting there
Kintaikyo lies between Iwakuni Station on the JR Sanyo Main Line and Shin-Iwakuni Station on the Sanyo Shinkansen, and you can get there from either by bus or taxi. The bridge is a short walk from the "Kintaikyo" bus stop.
There is a charge to cross the bridge (a return ticket). Combined tickets with the ropeway and Iwakuni Castle are also available. Check the official website for prices and hours.
Tips
- On rainy or snowy days the bridge gets slippery, and it may be closed in stormy weather, so watch your step as you cross.
- Smoking is not allowed on the bridge. Take your rubbish home, too.
- If you are also visiting Kikko Park and Iwakuni Castle, consider the combined ticket for the bridge, ropeway and castle.
Sources
Updated 28 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
