Kintaikyo is a beautiful arched wooden bridge that spans across Nishiki-gawa.
It has a length of 193 m and a width of 5 m, and it is constructed through a traditional Japanese technique of wood joinery, called the Kumiki.
The middle three sequences create the arch of the bridge that has five sequences, which is unique universally.
The level of technique of the wood joinery that uses six types of wood is considerably high, that the main part of the architecture is constructed without the use of any metal nails.
The bridge pier kyoukyaku is constructed in a spindle shape bousuikei to reduce water resistance to the minimum level, that the bridge is not only beautiful, but also practical.
Back in history, the Iwakuni feudal clan Iwakuni-han made a plan as a whole clan to construct a bridge along the Nishiki-gawa that can resist floods.
The clan obtained ideas from the conjuncted bridge in the West Lake, saiko, in Hangzhou , China, and constructed the Kintaikyo in 1673.
Due to a typhoon in 1950, the bridge was partly washed away once.
However, the bridge was reconstructed in 1953 into the original shape it had, and also went under another rebuilding in 2004 to reconstruct the damaged bridge girder.
Every year (Early August to the end of January of the following year) the Kintaikyo is lit from sunset to 10PM, and it creates a fantastic view of the beautiful Kintaikyo.
You can observe the various beauty Kintaikyo presents every season, and it is especially beautiful during the season of cherry blossoms and crimson foliage.
Along with the Kikko Park located adjacently, Kintaikyo is known as the noted place for cherry blossoms, and it is even selected as one of the best 100 Sakura spots in Japan .
In the summer, a cormorant fishing event, ukai, is held.
