A Decorated Concrete Bridge of 1926
The Kami Bridge (賀美橋, Kami-bashi) is a single-span reinforced-concrete girder bridge built in 1926 over the Motokoyama River at Wakaizumi 2-chome, Honjo City, Saitama Prefecture, and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on March 7, 2008 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-span reinforced-concrete girder bridge with parapets, 6.3 metres long and 9.0 metres wide, repaired in 2006, registration number 11-0117, owned by Honjo City.
Built with the New Isesaki Road
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Honjo City, the bridge was built when the new Isesaki road linking Honjo with Isesaki in Gunma Prefecture was cut, and was completed in 1926.
Of Honjo's 8 nationally registered properties, the other bridges are the Terasaka Bridge, a stone arch of 1889, the Takioka Bridge of 1928 and the Maze Dam Management Bridge (Honjo City).
Why It Was Registered
The Kami Bridge was registered as a structure that has become a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs singles out its decorative detail: a row of arches edged in white tile along the parapets and triangular pediments on every face of the end posts.
Honjo City likewise points to the fan-shaped decoration of the parapets and their white tile edging as a carefully modern design.
What to Look For
At only 6.3 metres long, the bridge is all about its parapets. Saitama Prefecture counts 7 arches in the row, each edged in white tile.
The end posts carry triangular pediments on each face and a house-shaped cap; Saitama Prefecture records that they once seem to have held glass lamps on stands.
Visiting
The Kami Bridge is a working road bridge and can be seen freely from the street. Watch for traffic.
According to Saitama Prefecture, it is about 330 metres north of the Chuo 3-chome crossing on the old Nakasendo along the Isesaki road, with Wakaizumi Park spreading to the west. The address is Wakaizumi 2-chome, Honjo City. Enquiries go to the Honjo City Board of Education, Cultural Properties Division (0495-25-1186).
Q&A
- When was the Kami Bridge built?
- In 1926, with repairs in 2006 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How big is the Kami Bridge?
- It is a single-span reinforced-concrete girder bridge 6.3 metres long and 9.0 metres wide (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What should I look for on the Kami Bridge?
- The parapets with arches edged in white tile, and the end posts with triangular pediments (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Saitama Prefecture).
- Where is the Kami Bridge?
- At Wakaizumi 2-chome, Honjo, about 330 metres north of the Chuo 3-chome crossing along the Isesaki road (Saitama Prefecture).
- When was the Kami Bridge registered?
- On March 7, 2008.
Basic Information
| Name | Kami Bridge (賀美橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | Wakaizumi 2-chome, Honjo City, Saitama Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2008/03/07 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Single-span reinforced-concrete girder bridge, 6.3 metres long, 9.0 metres wide, with parapets |
| Owner | Honjo City |
| Public Access | Road bridge (visible from the street) |
References
- Kami Bridge (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00006791
- Nationally registered cultural properties (Honjo City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.honjo.lg.jp/soshiki/kyoikuiinkai/bunkazai/tantoujouhou/bunkazai/1375759852044.html
- A walk around Honjo-juku, chapter 6 (Saitama Prefecture, Japanese)
- https://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/documents/80043/honjojuku2.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.14