Eitai Bridge

Overview

Eitai Bridge has its origins in a wooden bridge built in the early Edo period, and is a historic bridge depicted in ukiyo-e woodblock prints by Utagawa Hiroshige. The current Eitai Bridge was rebuilt in 1926 (Taisho 15) as a steel bridge as part of the post-Great Kanto Earthquake reconstruction efforts. The bridge's design, a heavy and majestic rib-tied arch bridge befitting the gateway to the Imperial Capital of Tokyo, was adopted, and American engineers were brought in for construction. The arch's connecting members used Ducol steel, a type of low-manganese steel then under research by the Imperial Japanese Navy, making it a technologically innovative bridge. Eitai Bridge connects Nagadai in Koto-ku, Tokyo, and Shinkawa in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, crossing the Sumida River and carrying Tokyo Metropolitan Route 10 and Chiba Prefectural Route 10 (Nagadai-dori). With a length of 184.7m and a width of 25.6m, it's a very wide bridge with five lanes for vehicles and sidewalks on both sides. It is now designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan and is cherished by many as a historic structure. Especially at night, its beautiful illumination creates a fantastic view against the backdrop of the Sumida River and Tokyo Skytree. The area surrounding Eitai Bridge also includes the historic townscapes of Monzen-nakacho and Kiyosumi-shirakawa. Why not visit Eitai Bridge during a stroll?