Shichijo Bridge

Shichijo Bridge spans the Kamo River with five arches and displays detailed Art Nouveau styling on its railings and supports. The structure carries both foot and vehicle traffic across the waterway.

Built between 1911 and 1913, this structure marks an early application of reinforced concrete technology in Japanese bridge construction during the late Meiji period. The project demonstrated the country's growing engineering expertise at that time.

The metal railings added after World War II feature patterns inspired by the Three Thousand Arrows tradition of the nearby Sanjusangendo Temple. These decorations tie the bridge to the spiritual character of the area.

The bridge connects the Higashiyama and Shimogyo districts and is accessible to pedestrians at all times. You can walk across during daylight hours to observe the architectural details up close.

This structure survived the devastating 1935 flood that destroyed neighboring bridges, proving its flood defense design was effective. Its durability made it one of the few structures to withstand that natural disaster.