140303-0046 - Ryogokubashi Bridge

A streetcar crosses the 1904 Ryogokubashi bridge spanning the Sumidagawa River in Tokyo. Construction of the first Ryogokubashi was started in 1659 (Manji 2). The bridge’s name means “two provinces” as it connected the provinces of Shimosa and Musashi.

On August 10th, 1897 (Meiji 30) a 10 meter stretch of guardrail of the last wooden wooden Ryogokubashi collapsed when a crowd was watching the famous Sumida river fireworks. More than ten people died. As a result, a steel bridge was constructed 20 meters downstream from the wooden bridge in 1904 (Meiji 37). It was 164.5 meters long and 24.5 meters wide.

This steel bridge was so strong that it survived the devastation of the Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1, 1923 (Taisho 12). Nonetheless, it was replaced with the current bridge shortly after the earthquake.