Nihonbashi Bridge Opening Anniversary

What Is Nihonbashi Bridge Opening Anniversary?

Every April 3rd is "Nihonbashi Bridge Opening Anniversary" in Japan. On April 3, 1911 (Meiji 44), the current two-arch stone Nihonbashi Bridge over the Nihonbashi River in Chuo City, Tokyo, was opened to traffic. Since the first wooden bridge was built at the beginning of the Edo period in 1603, Nihonbashi has remained a center of transportation, commerce, and culture as the starting point of the Five Highways. This is a day to look back on the history of a famous bridge that still conveys Meiji-era engineering and design.

The Starting Point of the Five Highways and the Road Origin Marker

Nihonbashi is not just a bridge; it is the reference point for measuring road distances in Japan.

• The Japan Road Origin Marker: Set into the road surface at the center of the bridge is the "Nihon Kokudo Doro Genpyo," a 50-cm-square bronze plate marking the origin of Japan's national highways. The "Tokyo: ○ km" figures on road signs are based on this point. It was installed in 1972, with the inscription written by then Prime Minister Eisaku Sato. A replica is displayed at the northwest foot of the bridge.
• A hub of distribution: From the Edo period until it moved to Tsukiji after the Great Kanto Earthquake, a fish market stood at the foot of Nihonbashi, serving as a distribution hub that made use of river transport on the Nihonbashi River. The area where people, goods, and information gathered later developed into a district of finance and commerce.

An East-Meets-West Design with Kirin and Lion Statues

The current bridge is said to be the 20th on the site, and it was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 1999.

• A stone arch bridge: It is a two-arch stone bridge about 49 meters long, featuring a Renaissance-style structure combined with Japanese, Chinese, and Western decorative elements. It survived the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Tokyo air raids, and scorch marks from incendiary bombs can still be seen on the bridge.
• Kirin and lion statues: The architect Yorinaka Tsumaki served as decoration advisor, and the sculptor Osao Watanabe created the models for the bronze statues. The kirin were given wings to evoke the image of taking flight from Nihonbashi, the starting point of Japan's roads. The lion statues hold the crest of the city of Tokyo.

Interesting Facts About Nihonbashi

• "Leaving Nihonbashi at the seventh hour": As sung in the folk song "O-Edo Nihonbashi," travelers in the Edo period are said to have typically set out from Nihonbashi at "nanatsu" (around 4 a.m.).
• The expressway and the plan to bury it: In 1963, the elevated Shuto Expressway was completed directly above Nihonbashi. A project to move the expressway underground is now under way: full-scale tunnel construction began in 2025, and removal of the elevated section above the bridge is expected in fiscal 2040.
• How to read "日本橋": The one in Tokyo is read "Nihonbashi," while the one in Osaka is read "Nipponbashi."
• Starting point of the Five Highways: The Tokaido, Nakasendo, Nikko Kaido, Oshu Kaido, and Koshu Kaido all started from Nihonbashi.
• Summer "bridge washing": Every July, local residents and companies gather to scrub the bridge with deck brushes in the "Hashi-arai" (bridge washing) event hosted by the Nihonbashi Preservation Society. It has been held every year since 1971.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Visit Nihonbashi and take a close look at the kirin and lion statues, the road origin marker replica on the northwest side, and the incendiary bomb scars
• Visit long-established shops around Nihonbashi and experience flavors and crafts handed down since the Edo period
• Compare Edo-period ukiyo-e depictions of Nihonbashi, such as the one in Utagawa Hiroshige's "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido," with how it looks today
• Follow news about burying the expressway and think about the balance between historic scenery and urban convenience

A Bridge at the Starting Point of Every Road Watches Over Your First Step

April 3rd is a day to think about Nihonbashi, which has supported people's comings and goings for more than a century. No matter how distant the destination, every journey begins with a single step. At the start of the new fiscal year, why not confirm your own starting point and set out on a new road?