Koraibashi Bridge

Japanese: 高麗橋 - こうらいばし

This bridge spans Higashiyokobori River, which flows south through Chuo Ward, Osaka City. It connects Koraibashi 1-chome and Koraibashi Tsume-cho. It is said that Higashiyokobori River was excavated in 1594 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi built the Sogo-jo Castle. It is believed that the bridge was built in the early modern period, as it was one of the entrances to the Sogo-jo Castle during the Battle of Sekigahara (Todai-ki), and a gargoyaki (a spire-shaped ornamental stone) cast in 1604 still exists. In the Edo period, it spanned Koraibashi 1-chome and Uchiryogae-cho in Osaka Misato Kita-gumi, and was designated as a government bridge to be renovated and repaired at the expense of the shogunate. Koraibashi-dori was a bustling street lined with kimono and money exchange businesses, including the wealthy Mitsui family, and this bridge was used as the starting point for measuring distances from Osaka to other places and countries. There was a notice board at the west end and a turret house at the east end. In 1870, it was replaced with Osaka's first iron bridge, and was featured in a nishiki-e (colored woodblock print). From 1876 to 1922, a milepost for the main roads of Western Japan was installed at the east end of the bridge. In 1929, it was replaced with a concrete arch bridge.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

大阪市中央区を南流する東横堀(ひがしよこぼり)川に架かる橋。高麗橋１丁目と高麗橋詰町を結ぶ。東横堀川が1594年豊臣秀吉の惣構建設に伴って開削されたとされ，関ヶ原の戦では惣構の口の一つであったこと（《当代記》），1604年鋳造の擬宝珠が現存することなどから，近世初期の架橋とする説が有力。江戸時代は大坂三郷北組の高麗橋１丁目と内両替(うちりょうがえ)町に架かり，幕府の費用で改築・修理する公儀橋に指定されていた。高麗橋通は豪商三井家をはじめとする呉服，両替商などが並ぶ繁華な通りで，当橋は大坂から他所・他国への里程を測る起点とされた。西詰に高札場，東詰に櫓屋敷があった。1870年大阪初の鉄橋に架け換えられ錦絵にもなった。東詰に1876年から1922年まで西日本主要道路の里程元標が設置された。1929年コンクリートアーチ橋に架け換えられた。

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