Harimaya Bridge
はりまや橋
The vermilion bridge where a monk buys a hairpin for his beloved, as told in the folk song 'Yosakoi.' It is counted among Japan's three great 'disappointing' landmarks.
Harimaya Bridge was originally a private bridge built during the Edo period by merchants Harimaya and Kusuya to connect their businesses. It became famous through the Tosa folk song 'Yosakoi,' which tells the love story of the monk Junshin and Ama, who meets him on the bridge when he buys a hairpin. The current vermilion bridge is a reconstruction and is quite small. It is often grouped with the Sapporo Clock Tower and Okinawa's Shureimon Gate as one of Japan's 'three great disappointments,' which has become part of its charm for photo-takers. Beside it are Harimaya Bridge Park and a mechanical clock that performs at set times. It sits at a tram junction, so it is worth a quick stop on your way.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Kochi Sunday Market
- Hirome Market
- Kochi Castle
- Chikurinji Temple & Mount Godai Observatory
- Makino Botanical Garden
- Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum
- Katsurahama Beach & Sakamoto Ryoma Statue
- Ryugado Cave