The famous Shinkyō bridge (神橋) in Nikkō, or Sacred Bridge. It is considered one of the three most beautiful bridges in Japan and is a World Heritage site. It leads to Futarasan jinja (二荒山神社), which is a part of the many shrines and Temples of this area.
Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of places to take photos of this. Basically the road on either side. I wasn’t there at a good times of day so the light wasn’t good, and the sky wasn’t interesting. Oh well! Still an attractive bridge. But needless to say, much more amazing in person. I was only in this area for a few hours, so I only allowed myself a few minutes at this bridge. If I ever get to this place again I’ll allow myself more time to take better photos.
There is a fun story about this bridge. Let’s look at it.
It is said that in the year 766, the priest Shōdō (勝道上人) and his followers wished to climb the mountain to pray for national prosperity. When they came to the fast-flowing Daiya River, however, they couldn't manage to get across. They prayed for help and a 10-foot god named Jinja-ou (深沙王) appeared with two snakes twisted around his arm, a red one and a blue one. He released them and they transformed into a rainbow bridge covered with sedge which Shōdō and his followers could use to cross the river. For this reason, the bridge is sometimes called Yamasugano-jabashi (山菅の蛇橋)—Mountain Sedge Snake Bridge.
As you might expect with such a famous bridge, it has long been featured in Japanese art. Here are two of my favorite woodblock prints of the bridge.
This is the only know triptych of the Nikko bridge (it’s been stitched together in this photo). It is from a series showing the customs and manners of the Tokugawa at Chiyoda (Edo) castle. Here the Tokugawa men are crossing the bridge for some official Shogunate ritual.
But that bridge of legend is not the one in the photos. The current bridge dates to 1636. It was rebuilt when Ieyasu’s tomb was set in this area in the famous Nikkō Tōshōgū (日光東照宮). It was destroyed by a flood in 1902, but was rebuilt in 1904.
It was off-limits to the public for most of it’s history. As with many of these things in Japan, the only people who were allowed across were samurai of the most powerful clans and other religious officials. These days the public is allowed across, but you have to pay a toll (it’s only ¥300).
| David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. |
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