Gazing upon this unassuming patch of land, could you imagine it once held Japan’s oldest recorded bridge? This, my friends, is the Tsuru no hashi ato, better known as Tsuru no hashi. The name echoes a time when cranes flocked here, gracing the banks of the old Hirano River. Tsuru no hashi, mentioned in the Nihon Shoki (the Chronicles of Japan), dates back to the 4th century. Imagine, in the year 326, a simple “little bridge,” or “ohashi” as it was called then, was constructed here, spanning the Ikai-no-tsu, the inlet of the Hirano River. As time marched on, so did the name. The gathering of cranes led to its new name: “Crane Bridge,” or Tsuru no hashi. The bridge went through transformations over centuries, from wooden structures to stone. In 1874, during the Meiji era, Tsuru no hashi was rebuilt as a stone bridge, a testament to its enduring importance. Yet, progress has a way of reshaping landscapes. In 1940, the old riverbed was filled in, rendering Tsuru no hashi obsolete. What remains now is a memorial, a bridge to the past. Tsuru no hashi may be gone, but its story lives on, marked by these preserved parent pillars and stone monuments. The very ground beneath our feet holds echoes of centuries past. Take a moment to appreciate this quiet corner. Imagine the countless travelers who crossed this crucial link, from ancient times to the modern era. Tsuru no hashi stands as a silent reminder of Osaka’s rich and layered history.
旧守口市立下島小学校
Shimojima Elementary School’s bell echoed one last time in March 2024. This marked the end of its 49-year history. It