EnglishIwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture

Aiming for World Heritage Status

Suo Province: Iwakuni, Kintaikyo Bridge,
from the series Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces (Utagawa Hiroshige),from the collection of Iwakuni Chokokan Museum

Kintaikyo Bridge

Over 350 Years ofFrom the Warring States
Period to Peacetime

Concept and Foundationof the Bridge

The Kikkawa Clan, who belonged to the WesternArmy, the loser in the Battle of Sekigahara, wasbanished from Izumo Province area to Iwakuni,
reducing their land value from 140,000 koku
units to 30,000 koku.
Times were still so tense that a war could breakout at any moment. Hiroie Kikkawa, ﬁrst lord,established his center of political aﬀairs in
Yokoyama. This was because the areaʼs topology,intersected by the Nishiki River with mountains
in the background, was advantageous in terms ofdefense.
A bridge was constructed early on, in order toconnect the castle town segmented by theNishiki River. However, the bridge was washedaway every time the river ﬂooded.
Eventually, when the shogunate system cameinto place and a peaceful age arrived, theconstruction of a ﬂood-proof bridge became theearnest wish of the Iwakuni Domain.

Hiroyoshi Kikkawa, third lord, grappled withresearch on bridges, but a solution was not easily
reached.
One day, Hiroyoshi obtained a book on Chinaʼsfamed West Lake from the Ming Chinese monkand scholar Obaku Dokuryu. In this book was anillustration of a six-arched bridge connecting ﬁve
small islands. It is said that this is how Hiroyoshi
acquired the idea for the Kintaikyo Bridge.
This concept was to build four piers in theNishiki River and to connect them using ﬁve
bridges. In order to achieve this, further research
was repeatedly conducted in addition to the civilengineering and architectural techniques thatwere cultivated during the Warring States era.
Then in 1673, the concept and technology resulted
in reality, as the Kintaikyo Bridge was built.
Illustration for “Travel Records of the West Lake”
It is said that Hiroyoshi
acquired the idea for theKintaikyo Bridge from apicture of a bridge thatspanned the islands ofthe West Lake (China).

“Map of the Inner Domain” (1668)

The area intersected by theNishiki River, with Mount
Shiroyama in the background
was chosen as the residenceof the feudal lord and some ofhis vassals, and the opposite
riverbank was chosen for thedwellings of the remaining
majority of vassals and thetownspeople.

From the collection of Iwakuni Chokokan Museum

From the collection ofIwakuni Chokokan Museum

Third Lord of Iwakuni
Hiroyoshi Kikkawa（1621−1679）
Constructed the Kintaikyo Bridge.

The Kintaikyo Bridge in the Meiji-era. Photographed from the mountain downstream from the bridge.
The townscape of Yokoyama is on the left. Dwellings were still positioned along the bank,
but the Kintaikyo Bridge is in the same location as the present day.

2History
A Bridge
Across the AgesThe year after its construction, theKintaikyo Bridge was washed away due tocollapse of its piers during a ﬂood.
However, restoration was immediately
commenced, and the reconstruction work
was completed within the year.
After this, the bridge supported thepassage of people over many years, while
undergoing frequent restoration andrenewal. It was swept away again in 1950
in a typhoon, but the townspeople worked
in unison to achieve reconstruction.
In this way, the Kintaikyo Bridge has
spanned the ages, and even now continues toexist in the same shape in the same location.

DesignMaterials

Twelve drawings, with the 1699
blueprints as the oldest, andfull-sized “templates” frommodern times onwards, are inexistence.
These serve as evidence that thedesign of the Kintaikyo Bridge
has been passed down for morethan three hundred years.

Materials were selected inaccordance with the properties,
economic eﬃciency andprocurement potential of timber,such as by using pine andzelkova as the main structural
materials and rot-resistantwoods such as Japanese cypressas decorative materials.

WorkmanshipSetting

Even before the developmentof photography and ﬁlming,
bridge-building technology washanded down through repeateddrafting of drawings each time
the bridge was rebuilt.
Because of this, the Kintaikyo Bridge
now exists in a shape unchanged
from three hundred years ago.

Inspection of early modern
archaic maps indicates that thesetting of the Kintaikyo Bridge
has not altered from history tothe present day.
Moreover, records of historicalrenewal also inform us that thebridgeʼs location has remained
unchanged.

Oldest Drawing“Kintaikyo Bridge Renewal Plan” (1699), the oldest extant drawing. From the collection of Iwakuni Chokokan Museum

Chronology of Kintaikyo Bridge
1600 Keicho5

1664 Kanbun4

Battle of Sekigahara

1871 Meiji4

Abolition of the feudal system and establishment of prefectures

Hiroie Kikkawa receives 30,000 koku
of land in the Iwakuni vicinity

1922 Taisho11

Designated a national Place of scenic beauty

Hiroyoshi Kikkawa sees “Travel Recordsof the West Lake”, acquires the idea for
the Kintaikyo Bridge

1943 Showa18

Additionally designated a scenic area

1950 Showa25

The Kintaikyo Bridge is swept away by Typhoon Kezia

1951 Showa26

Showa Reconstruction commences (completed in 1953)

2001 Heisei13“Heisei no kakekae”(renewal) commences (completed in 2004)

1673 Enpo1

The Kintaikyo Bridge is constructed

1674 Enpo2

Washed away by ﬂooding
Reconstruction

1677 Enpo5

Rubble stones is strewn in the riverbed
around the Kintaikyo Bridge,
and stone pavements are reinforced

1699 Genroku12 Oldest extant plan is drawn

1898 Meiji 31
Renewal1950 Showa 25
The Bridge is swept away
by a typhoon

2001 Heisei 13
Renewal beam assembly3Kintaikyo Bridge

A Manifestation of
A GloballyUnique ConstructionWherever you search in the world, there areno other wooden arched bridges constructed
like the Kintaikyo Bridge.
However, if we look at bridges made fromstone, there are some arched stone bridges.
In the Anji Bridge, which was built in Sui, China,
at the beginning of the seventh century,
oblong “circle stones” (arch-shaped stones)
are joined
togetherusing metal
and ﬁxed
in place toachieve arobust archstructure. Anji Bridge, China(arched stone bridge)
Conversely, timber is an intrinsically soft
material, and in addition, each timber is slim,
making wood diﬃcult to form into an archshape. Even when the same construction
method as stone is used, the necessary
strength cannot be achieved. To this end, the“Kintaikyo-type arch” was devised, which
combines together components such as beams,wedges, crossbeams and ridge beams.
The beams face from the piers towards thecenter of the arch, overlaid and protruding
outwards while setting angles. The gaps that are
created by variations in these angles are ﬁlledusing wedges. In addition, the ﬁve beams thatlay parallel alongside each other are held inplace transversely using crossbeams. In thisway, the beams protruding from each pierconnect together in the center using ridge
beams. Also, the strength of the bridge isenhanced by binding the components using
metallic belts.
This Kintaikyo-type arch is unique, with noother examples worldwide. Using this structure,
wooden arches with the unprecedented span of35.1m have become a reality.

4Wisdom and Skill
Kintaikyo-type arch

5th Beam
4th Beam

Komunagi(Small Ridge Beam)

6th Beam

7th Beam

8th Beam

9th Beam

10th Beam

11th Beam
Omunagi(Large Ridge Beam)

(1)
Beams
Ridge Beams(2)

Wedges

3rd Beam
2nd Beam
1st Beam

8th Wedge
7th Wedge
6th Wedge
5th Wedge

8th
7thAtobari
Atobari6th(Crossbeam)
Atobari (Crossbeam)
5th
3rd Wedge
Atobari (Crossbeam)
4th
Atobari (Crossbeam)
3rd
2nd Wedge
Atobari (Crossbeam)
2nd
Atobari (Crossbeam)
1st
Atobari (Crossbeam)
Ridge Beam(Crossbeam)
8th
KeshobariSide Ridge Beam
Hanabari
7th
Obari (Crossbeam)
Hanabari (Crossbeam)
6th(Crossbeam)
Hanabari (Crossbeam)
5th
Futokorobari
Hanabari (Crossbeam)
4th(Crossbeam)
Hanabari (Crossbeam)
3rdHanabari (Crossbeam)
2nd(Crossbeam)
7th HanabariHanabari(Crossbeam)
8th Beam(Crossbeam)
1stHanabari(Crossbeam)
Base Beam
4th Wedge(3)

Beams(Crossbeams)

7th Wedge

The diagram above shows the side of the arched bridge(from the pier to the center). The diagram is a lateral viewof the ﬁve beams that run vertically in the photographlooking up at the underside of the bridge (left).

(1) The beams protrude out at angles, fromthat ﬁll the gaps that are created byvariations in the angles of the beams
above and below each wedge. They arebound together with the beams using
metallic belts.

To Kawanishi↑
N

34.8m

35.1m

35.1m

35.1m

34.8m

1st span 4.6m 2nd span 4.6m 3rd span 4.6m 4th span 4.6m 5th span

193.3m

↓To Tada

To Misho↓Water Flow
193.3m

1st span

2nd span

3rd span

4th span

5th span

34.8m

35.1m

35.1m

35.1m

34.8m

Yokoyama Side

which are arranged at equal intervals, inplace transversely. As a result, the regular,
aesthetically pleasing structure of beams
running in parallel is achieved, as seen in
the photograph on the left.

Nishiki River↑To Nishimi

Iwakuni Side(3) The crossbeams hold the ﬁve beams,

Dimensions of Kintaikyo Bridge
Yokoyama Side(2) The wedges are V-shaped components

Structure of Beam Joining Section

Iwakuni Sidethe 1st beam to the 11th beam, and arebound with metallic belts. The beams
protruding towards the center are
joined to the opposite components by
the large and small ridge beams.

7th Beam5

Kintaikyo Bridge
In Any Era
Many artists have depicted the Kintaikyo Bridge, including the world-famous ukiyo-e artists
Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige.
In addition, Atsuhime, who married into the Tokugawa Shogun family from the Satsuma Domain, madea detour expressly to visit the Kintaikyo Bridge when she was traveling to Edo. Although at the time
permission was required in advance for crossing the bridge, it is recorded that Atsuhime was unable toobtain permission to cross the bridge and impatiently forced her way across the bridge without waiting.
In approximately 350 years since its construction, the beauty of the Kintaikyo Bridge has attracted
many people, not only artists, in any era.
We hope to leave this beauty unchanged for future generations. It can be said that the wishes of many
people have preserved the Kintaikyo Bridge in an unaltered form in its location.

Splendor thatTranscends Time
Unlimited Beauty
Pleasing to admire from afar, to gaze at up close, and tocross.
The Kintaikyo Bridge possesses an unlimited beauty thatis not swayed by the location of the observer, or the timeor season.

Rhythm of the Arches

When you look down at the Kintaikyo
Bridge from the Iwakuni Castle, aﬁve-part rhythmical work of formativeart attracts your attention. As if apebble has been tossed onto thesurface of the water, the arches areformed rhythmically, captivating theobserver. In this way, there is a beautyof “movement.”
6Katsushika Hokusai

Utagawa Hiroshige

Utagawa Hiroshige II“The Splendid View of Famous Bridges in Various Provinces:
Kintaikyo Bridge in the Province of Suo”

“Suo Province: Iwakuni,
Kintaikyo Bridge” from the series“Famous Places in theSixty-odd Provinces”“Kintaikyo Bridge at Iwakuni inSuo Province” from the series“One Hundred Famous Views
in the Various Provinces”

From the collection of Hagi Uragami Museum

From the collection ofIwakuni Chokokan Museum

From a private collectionand Space
Harmony with Nature

If you gaze at the Kintaikyo Bridge fromafar, you will notice that it is surroundedby abundant nature. Mount Shiroyama,
where a virgin forest still remains, is in
the background, with the townscapearranged in consideration of the view,and the Nishiki River, sparkling like amirror. The Kintaikyo Bridge seems
almost as if it is part of nature itself.

Stone and Wood

The wing-like wooden arches riseabove the imposing stonework piers.
This contrast of solidity and lightness
creates an allure that is unique to theKintaikyo Bridge.
Moreover, the bridgeʼs stable shapecalms the observerʼs mind.

Simple and Complex

In contrast to the ﬂat, simple upper
part of the arches, when the arches
are viewed from underneath, theirappearance is surprisingly complex.
The beams, crossbeams and other parts
maintain a certain regularity, and theform of complication is very pleasing tothe eye.
7Place of Scenic Beauty, Kintaikyo Bridge
ShimanePrefecture

Hiroshima
Prefecture
Hiroshima

Yamaguchi
Prefecture Iwakuni
CityFukuoka
Kitakyushu

Kintaikyo Bridge

Fukuoka
PrefectureOita
Prefecture

Matsuyama

Ehime
Prefecture

Beppu

Aiming for World Heritage Status
World Heritage describes properties that deserve tobe passed down to the future as humanityʼs sharedtreasures. These are broadly divided into Natural
Heritage and Cultural Heritage. In order to beregistered as a World Heritage Site, the value of theproperty must be recognized worldwide, and theoriginal value must be inherited, as well as otherrequirements.
The Kintaikyo Bridge is a treasure of Iwakuni,
inherited in the present day thanks to theenthusiasm and eﬀorts of our ancestors. We arepromoting initiatives to pass it on to future
generations as one of humanityʼs shared treasures.

The Kintaikyo Bridge is a ﬁve-span bridge over the
Nishiki River in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Counted as one of Japan's three most famous bridges,
with abundant nature in its background, it has been
designated as a national Place of Scenic Beauty (thearea including upstream and downstream).
It was constructed in 1673 through a manifestation ofwisdom and skill, in the desire for a ﬂood-proof bridge.
That structure, crossing the riverʼs width of around
200m, is exquisite and original. Furthermore, it boasts
a beautiful shape.
In approximately 350 years since its construction, thetechnology and beauty of the Kintaikyo Bridge continue
to be protected even today.

Process of World Heritage Registration
Work towards entering
the “World Heritage Tentative List”
Enter the “World Heritage Tentative List”
Submit “Nomination” from national government
to the World Heritage Committee
Evaluation by Advisory Bodies
UNESCO World Heritage Committee decides
whether or not to selectIssued by Kintaikyo Bridge World Heritage Registration Promotion Council

ＬＥ‑２Inquiries to Kintaikyo Bridge Section,
Dept of Culture & Sports Promotion, Iwakuni City Government
e-mail: kintaikyo@city.iwakuni.lg.jp
1-14-51 Imazumachi, Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi, Japan 740-8585
URL: https://kintaikyo-bridge.jp/en/