A Broad Steel Truss for Kanazawa's Trams
The Saigawa Bridge (犀川大橋) is a steel truss bridge of 1924 in Katamachi to Nomachi and Sennichimachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 4, 2000 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-span steel bridge with a curved-chord truss, 62 metres long and 22 metres wide; registration number 17-0040.
A Wide Bridge Built for the Trams
The Saigawa Bridge carries a road over the Sai River in Kanazawa on a steel curved-chord Warren truss (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Like the bridge over the Asano River, it was designed as a broad road bridge as part of the plan to build the city's tramways.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, it now carries National Route 157. The Agency records repairs to its steelwork in 1994.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that different types of truss members are used for the portals, bracing and verticals to keep the structure light, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the curved upper chord and the different truss members used in the portals and verticals (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by the national government and used as a bridge on a national route managed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (Agency for Cultural Affairs; the Ministry). No special visiting information was found.
Q&A
- When was the Saigawa Bridge built?
- In 1924 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Why is it so wide?
- It was designed as a broad road bridge for the city's planned tramways.
- What should I look for?
- The curved-chord Warren truss and its varied members.
- Where is it?
- Over the Sai River between Katamachi and Nomachi in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture.
- When was the Saigawa Bridge registered?
- On December 4, 2000 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Saigawa Bridge (犀川大橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | Katamachi to Nomachi and Sennichimachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2000/12/04 (Heisei 12) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Single-span steel curved-chord truss, 62 m long, 22 m wide |
| Owner | National government (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) |
| Public Access | In use as a bridge on National Route 157 |
References
- Saigawa Bridge (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002034
- Saigawa Bridge landscape committee paper (MLIT Kanazawa office, Japanese)
- https://www.hrr.mlit.go.jp/kanazawa/road/br_sai_color/comm01/comm01_1.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.20