Koko-kyo, the "straddling rainbow" bridge

In 1783, when the seventh lord of the Asano clan decided to rebuild the Shukkeien garden, he brought from Kyoto a famous landscape gardener, Shimizu Shichiroemon.

Shimizu, besides other changes, designed the main stone bridge of the garden, known as Koko-kyo, the "straddling rainbow bridge". He was inspired by an older type of "moon bridge", which is named like this because together with the reflection on water it creates a perfect circle. The Koko-kyo has a similar but different shape, suggesting a rainbow, hence its name...