Megane Bridge Audio Guide

Megane Bridge: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to Megane Bridge

   Welcome to Megane Bridge, one of the most photographed corners of Nagasaki. It spans the Nakashima River in the middle of the city. Its local name is 眼鏡橋, and it means spectacles bridge. The reason is easy to see once you stand on the bank. Two stone arches rise over the water, and each one meets its own reflection to form a full circle. Together the circles look like a pair of old-fashioned glasses. This audioguide tells the story of the bridge itself and of the river it crosses. We will look at how it was built, how the floods have tested it, and how people use the riverside today. Give yourself time to walk along the water, because the bridge is best enjoyed slowly, from a few different angles. There is a lot packed into this small stretch of river. It is one of the oldest stone arch bridges in Japan, a protected national cultural treasure, and a place where locals and visitors both come to stroll. Let's begin.

2. 02

   Megane Bridge and the Year 1634

   The date to remember is 1634. That is when Megane Bridge was built, and it is celebrated as the oldest stone arch bridge in Japan. Tradition says it was raised by a monk named Mokusu Nyojo, who was the second head of Kofukuji Temple, one of the temples near this stretch of the river. That is the story as it has been handed down, and it ties the bridge to the temple world that grew up along the water. The bridge is modest in size, and that is part of its charm. It measures about 22 meters long and 3.65 meters wide. That is narrow enough that you could picture two neighbors stopping to chat in the middle of it. Despite its small scale, the bridge has been designated a national Important Cultural Property, which is a formal recognition of its place in Japanese heritage. It was also never the only one of its kind. More than 10 stone bridges were built across the Nakashima River as it runs through central Nagasaki, and Megane Bridge is the oldest of them. Think of the river as a gallery of stone bridges, with this one as the founding piece.

3. 03

   A River That Fought Back at Megane Bridge

   The Nakashima River is gentle most of the time, but it has a history of flooding. Over the centuries its stone bridges have been washed away and rebuilt again and again. Megane Bridge has taken its share of the punishment too. The most dramatic chapter came with the Great Nagasaki Flood of 1982. The floodwaters brought down part of the bridge. What happened next is the heart of the story. The stones that had been swept downstream were gathered up and reused. The following year the bridge was restored to its original form. So when you look at the arches today, you are looking at a bridge that was put back together, in large part, from its own scattered pieces. That gives the bridge a second kind of meaning. It is a seventeenth century monument, and it is also a story of recovery. A city that cares about a bridge enough to hunt down its stones after a flood is a city that treasures its past.

4. 04

   Strolling the Riverside Around Megane Bridge

   Now let's turn from the bridge to the river around it. The Nakashima River was once the central artery of Nagasaki, and its importance to trade is part of why so many stone bridges were built across it. Today it is a peaceful place for a stroll, with paths along the water and a blend of cultural influences that is typical of Nagasaki. Keep an eye on the stone walls along the riverbank. Heart-shaped stones are set into them, including around Megane Bridge. They are known as heart stones, and they have a reputation as a spot for luck in love. Spotting them is a little treasure hunt in itself. You may also notice stepping stones crossing the river, which let you get close to the water and look back at the arches. A short distance away stands Fukurobashi, believed to be the second oldest of the river's stone bridges. In winter, during the Nagasaki Lantern Festival, the area around Megane Bridge is decorated with lanterns, and the bridge takes on a completely different glow. Shinchi Chinatown is also close by, so the neighborhood invites you to keep wandering.

5. 05

   Before You Head Off from Megane Bridge

   Before you move on, take one more look at the water. The perfect circle that gives Megane Bridge its name only appears when the arch and its reflection meet, so the view changes with the light and the mood of the river. See how it looks from the bank, from the stepping stones, and from the neighboring bridges along the Nakashima River. Then let your curiosity lead you. Walk upstream or downstream and count the stone bridges you pass. Compare their arches with the two you have just seen. Find Fukurobashi, look for the heart stones, and imagine the river as the busy artery it once was. Every bridge along this water has its own character, and this one is simply the oldest.