| The Saruhashi Bridge (猿橋) is a historic arch bridge officially listed as a Place of Scenic Beauty of Japan in Ōtsuki, Yamanashi Prefecture. It is ranked as one of Japan's three unique bridges, along with the Kintai Bridge and the Shinkyo Bridge.[1] It is also referred to as the monkey bridge[2] The bridge spans the gorge of the Katsura River and is the most well-known example of the hanebashi [ja] (刎橋) design, in which the bridge is supported by a series of cantilever beams set in the opposing cliff faces. The bridge dates to the mid-18th century, when it carried the Kōshū Kaidō, one of the main highways of the Edo period. The elegant design of the bridge and the scenic beauty of the gorge have inspired numerous landscape paintings of the 19th century. |
