神地橋

Slipping through time, imagine Tokyo’s Imperial Palace in 1614. The shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, commissions a remarkable bridge. This bridge, the Nijubashi, wasn’t what you see before you today. It was a wooden structure, boasting a unique two-level design. This original Nijubashi, known as the kejōbashi, had a second wooden support system underneath. This gave it a distinctive double-decker appearance. The name Nijubashi, meaning “double bridge,” perfectly captured this unusual feature. The Nijubashi wasn’t always the main entrance to the Imperial Palace. It stood alongside another wooden bridge, the ōtebashi, both part of Edo Castle’s western compound. Time marched on, and the imperial court moved into Edo Castle in 1868, transforming it into the Imperial Palace. The bridges remained, but their roles shifted. The Nijubashi (kejōbashi) was replaced with an iron bridge in 1888 and again in 1964. The ōtebashi was replaced by the stone bridge you see now, Seimon Ishibashi, in 1887. This stylish stone bridge quickly became a prominent landmark. Interestingly, the name Nijubashi, originally referring to the double-decker wooden bridge, transferred to this new stone bridge. Although Seimon Ishibashi is its official name, most people call it Nijubashi, a testament to the enduring legacy of its predecessor. Even the nearby Chiyoda Line subway station, built in the 1970s, is called Nijūbashimae Station. So, as you stand before the Nijubashi, remember you’re looking at a bridge with a layered past. It embodies centuries of history, a quiet witness to the transformation of Edo Castle into the Imperial Palace.