Togetsukyo Bridge spans the Katsura River against the wooded backdrop of Arashiyama. Its apparently wooden form is part of a long history of crossings, while its name preserves a story about moonlight and the river.
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Togetsukyo means “Moon Crossing Bridge,” a name tied to a story about Emperor Kameyama watching the moon seem to cross the river during a boating gathering. The bridge’s setting makes that image easy to imagine: the Katsura River flows below, with Arashiyama’s wooded slopes rising beyond.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The first bridge here dates to 836.
- The current bridge was completed in 1934.
- Its beams and columns are reinforced concrete, with cypress parapets.
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