Here a monk bought a hairpin for his beloved: the Yosakoi-bushi still sings of it.
The bridge, today a modern structure and unremarkable in itself, owes its fame to the nineteenth-century legend of the monk Junshin of Chikurin-ji: here he bought a hairpin for his beloved Ouma, broke his vow of chastity, and the two were caught after running away together. The episode found its way into the Yosakoi-bushi, the song that still opens the city's Yosakoi Matsuri today. The area is now a public park with a reconstructed stream, the restored old bridge and monuments to the two lovers.
A bridge in the Harimaya-cho district, in the centre of Kochi: it originated in the Edo period, when the Harimaya and Hitsuya shops built a private one to cross the Horikawa River and trade with each other, giving the place its name. The current structure is a modern reconstruction, rebuilt several times, with no architectural value of its own.
ℹ️ Public park (Harimaya-bashi Hayama Teien Yosakoi Park), always accessible, with an underground pedestrian passage displaying panels on local history. The Harimaya-bashi tram stop is right in front; about 10 minutes' walk from JR Kochi Station. Many guides flag it as an often disappointing stop for anyone expecting an imposing monument.
🚉 Kōchi · 11 min walk
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