Built by the powerful Shibata Katsuie during his brief reign as Fukui’s warlord, this bridge spanned the Asuwagawa River as part of the old Hokuriku Road network. It was famous during the Edo Period for its unique half-stone, half-wood construction method, with the bridge’s southern half made of shakudani stone, and its northern half made of wood. There are many theories as to why this was, and the bridge was a popular subject for study in the past. For most of the Edo Period this was the river’s only bridge, and a pier built on the river’s northern bank carried goods to and from the coastal town of Mikuni.

PeriodThe Edo period (the17th century)