Gion Bridge
祇園橋
A multi-arched stone bridge completed in 1832, one of Japan's largest of its kind, supported by 45 stone pillars, listed as an Important Cultural Property and a battlefield of the Amakusa Rebellion.
Gion Bridge spans the Yamaguchi River in central Hondo. Local stonemasons completed it in 1832 using Amakusa sandstone. Its deck is flat and it is supported by 45 square stone pillars below. It is a rare multi-pillar stone bridge in Japan and the largest of its kind, and it has been designated an Important Cultural Property. This was once the site of fierce fighting in 1637 during the Amakusa Rebellion, between rebel forces and the troops of the Karatsu domain, and the river is said to have run red with blood. Visiting is free. The bridge is about a 10-minute walk from the Amakusa Christian Museum, and you can see both on the same trip.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Amakusa Christian Museum
- Jumanyama Observatory
- Amakusa Dolphin Watching (Tsujishima)
- Mount Kura
- Tomioka Castle Ruins
- Amakusa Collegio Museum
- Shimoda Onsen (Amakusa)
- Amakusa Museum of Goshoura Dinosaur Island