Kototoi Bridge, Historic bridge in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan
The Kototoi Bridge is a 238.7-meter steel three-span cantilever plate girder bridge over the Sumida River, linking Taitō and Sumida wards. Its pale green steel deck rests on two rounded concrete piers, with a shallow arched underside and slender white lampposts along the railing.
The crossing completed in 1928 replaced the Edo-period ferry Takeya-no-Watashi that once operated at this location. The structure later earned recognition as a Tokyo Metropolitan Government-designated heritage site.
The name comes from a waka by Ariwara no Narihira asking after a lost love, though the poem's setting was the Hashiba ferry near present-day Shirahige Bridge. A stronger claim links it to Kototoi dango, sold since 1871 by Toyama Sakichi, whose shop gave the area the nickname Kototoi-ga-oka. Kawabata Yasunari called the bridge "male" against the curved, "female" Kiyosu Bridge.
The crossing provides direct access to Sumida Park and connects with the Tobu Isesaki Line nearby. Pedestrians can use the width of the span to reach both riverbanks and enjoy views of the waterway.
The span became a gathering point for many people during the March 1945 air raids over Tokyo. The events of that night left visible traces that remain on the stone balustrades today.
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