Sanjō Bridge

What it is

• A 73-meter-long bridge spanning the Kamo River in Kyoto City.
• The western terminus of the Tokaido road connecting Kyoto to Edo.
• A steel structure completed in 1950 with cypress railings added in 2024.
• The starting point for the first ekiden race held in Japan.

What to see

• Original metal giboshi ornaments reused on the modern wooden railings.
• Sword scars from the Ikedaya Incident visible on the metal giboshi.
• Statues of the fictional travelers Yajirobe and Kitahachi standing nearby.
• Wooden railings made from local cypress installed during recent renovations.

Getting there

• The bridge is located near Sanjo Station on the Keihan Line.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.