From the many attractions offered by the Kenroku-en Garden from Kanazawa, I recently presented the exquisite Kotoji lantern. Today, I would like to show you a very special bridge, Gankō-bashi - the Flying Geese Bridge. Made from 11 red andesite stones, the bridge was designed to look like a skein of geese (a flock of geese flying in formation). But the bridge also has an alternative name: because it resembles a row of aligned tortoises, it is also called the Tortoise Shell Bridge. And since in the Japanese mythology the tortoise is a symbol of longevity, it is said that crossing this bridge can bring you long life… Unfortunately the bridge is closed now, because the stones are deteriorated by overuse…

Flying Geese Bridge, Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese mascots - Otosan, the SoftBank’s famous dog