Bridge · Hashiba / Tsutsumi-dori

Shirahige Bridge 白鬚橋

A graceful 1931 braced-rib tied-arch bridge on Meiji-dori, built where the Hashiba ferry once carried travellers across the Sumida.

About

Shirahige-bashi takes its name from Shirahige Shrine on the east bank. A privately funded toll bridge first opened here in 1914; the current steel arch, 167.6 m long and designed by Masuda Jun, was completed in 1931 as part of the post-earthquake reconstruction. The site is the old Hashiba ferry crossing, traditionally said to be where the poet-hero of the Tales of Ise composed his famous "kototoi" poem about the miyakodori birds. The bridge appears repeatedly in the manga Arakawa Under the Bridge, and its twin arches frame Tokyo Skytree from the riverside paths to the south.

Highlights

• Large 1931 tied-arch spanning the Sumida in one sweep
• Old Hashiba ferry site linked to the Tales of Ise
• Featured in the manga and anime Arakawa Under the Bridge
• Views downriver toward Tokyo Skytree

Tips

• The riverside terrace on the Taito side gives the classic side-on view of the arch.
• Shirahige Shrine, one of the Sumida Seven Lucky Gods shrines, is a 5 minute walk from the east end.
• Quiet compared with the Asakusa bridges: good for unhurried photos.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Mukojima Hyakkaen GardenGarden · 630 m away
• Higashi Shirahige ParkPark · 680 m away
• UotokuSushi & Seafood · 830 m away
• Hatonomachi-dori Shopping StreetPhoto Spot · 960 m away
• Shioiri ParkPark · 990 m away
• Tobu MuseumMuseum · 990 m away
• Chomeiji Sakuramochi YamamotoyaLocal Secret · 1.1 km away
• Imado ShrineShrine · 1.1 km away