Hirakawa Bridge, Wooden bridge at Edo Castle inner moat in Chiyoda-ku, Japan
Hirakawa Bridge crosses the inner moat of Edo Castle and links pedestrian pathways near the Hirakawa-mon Gate to the Imperial Palace East Garden. The wooden structure spans the water and preserves traditional architectural elements from the 17th century.
Built in 1614, the bridge served as a daily passage for shogunate staff, particularly the female servants who worked in the Ohoku section. It remained an important functional part of castle operations throughout the Edo period.
The bridge displays traditional Japanese building methods from the early Edo period through its wooden structure and the way it connects different parts of the castle grounds.
The bridge is reachable from nearby railway stations in Chiyoda-ku and accessible via garden pathways within the imperial grounds. Visitors can walk across and view the surrounding historic gates and moat landscape at their own pace.
The bridge historically served as an exit point for criminals who were expelled from the castle grounds during the Edo period. This lesser-known aspect of its past gives visitors a glimpse into the darker side of castle life.
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