Kurehashi Bridge
landmark
呉橋
The covered girder bridge with gates on both ends that spans the Yorimo River and serves as an entrance to the Usa Jingu shrine grounds from the west is called the Kurehashi Bridge.
Kurehashi Bridge spans the Yorimo River at the western entrance to Usa Jingu shrine and is used only once every ten years when imperial messengers make a formal pilgrimage along the ceremonial Chokushi Kaido Road. At other times pedestrians cross a nearby bridge. The current bridge was built in 1622 by Hosokawa Tadatoshi, whose name appears on gilded railing ornaments, and restored twice since. The cypress-bark karahafu roof and vermilion paint are typical of shrine architecture, but the covered girder form itself is rare in Japan, more common in mainland Asia. The bridge's name references a possible Chinese origin, though the Kingdom of Wu it alludes to fell centuries before Usa Jingu was founded.
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