Is Ipponbashi (Gyojabashi, Ajaribashi) Abbey Road?
Yoshie Doi
Ipponbashi (Gyojabashi) spanning Shirakawa south of Sanjo-dori Street Photographed on September 9, 2023
Furukawacho Shopping Street is located right near Higashiyama Station on the Tozai Subway Line. The bridge that spans the Shirakawa River on the east side is Ipponbashi. Furukawacho Shopping Street is a shopping street with a history of over 1,300 years since the Heian period.In contrast to Nishiki Market, which is said to be the “kitchen of Kyoto,” it was once also known as “Nishiki of the East” and “Kyoto’s East Kitchen.” It was so popular that it was said to be so popular.
Furukawacho Shopping Street is located on Furukawacho Dori, which was part of Wakasa Kaido (Saba Kaido). Furukawacho-dori Street was used as the Wakasa Highway before the Tensho era (1573-1590), but after that it became abandoned and became a farmland, and was restored in 1666 (Kanbun 6).
The reason why it is called Shirakawa is because the sand at the bottom of the river is white in color. This white sand is beautiful upstream, and it seems to be used in gardens such as Ryoan-ji Temple and Daitoku-ji Temple.
In recent years, it has been used as a filming location for TV dramas, and the water terrace in the foreground of the photo is popular with many local residents and tourists.
Built in 1907, the Ipponbashi Bridge is also known as the Gyōjabashi Bridge or the Ajari Bridge, as it is the last bridge to be crossed during the 1000-day Kyoto Grand Tour of Mt. Hiei. This is the bridge you cross to report to the former three great masters of Sonsho-in Temple in Awataguchi that you have completed your training. However, during the last nine days of the 1,000-day journey (approximately 7 years), the ascetic practiced extremely harshly, without drinking, eating, or sleeping, and no one was informed that he was crossing this bridge. It is also prohibited to take pictures.
It is a simple stone bridge, 12 meters long and 60 centimeters wide, with no railings, but it is a charming bridge that matches well with the rows of willow trees, making it a great photo spot.
Speaking of spots, the pedestrian crossing in front of Abbey Road Studios, the sacred place of the Beatles, is the most famous pedestrian crossing in the world. The Beatles made Abbey Road famous, and many people cross this bridge and take photos of it, like on the cover of Abbey Road. It’s also a hidden photo spot. On the day I visited for this interview, tourists from overseas were happily crossing this bridge.
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