Togetsukyo Bridge

Togetsukyo Bridge is a bridge spanning the Katsura River in Arashiyama. The river is known as the Oi River upstream of the bridge and as the Katsura River downstream. The bridge is said to have originally been built in 836 during the Heian period by the monk Dosho, a disciple of Kobo Daishi Kukai. At that time, it stood about 100 meters upstream from its current location and was called Horinji Bridge, named after Horin-ji Temple on its southern side. The name Togetsukyo, meaning "Moon-Crossing Bridge," dates back to the Kamakura period, when Emperor Kameyama enjoyed a boat outing on a full moon night and remarked that it looked as though the moon were crossing the bridge. The area has suffered frequent flood damage, and the current bridge was constructed in 1934. While the piers are reinforced concrete, the railings are wooden to harmonize with the surrounding scenery. As one of Arashiyama’s most iconic landmarks, the combination of the Katsura River and Togetsukyo Bridge is a classic photographic composition often used to represent the area. The road leading from the bridge toward Tenryu-ji Temple forms Arashiyama’s main shopping street, lined with souvenir shops and restaurants.