Ichijō Modoribashi Bridge

Kyoto · Japan · Bridge

At the 'Bridge of Returning', the dead have woken in their coffins and a demon seized a samurai by the hair — brides avoid it to this day.

The unassuming Ichijō Modoribashi bridge over the Horikawa canal has for over a thousand years been regarded as a place where this world and the next meet. In 918, a dead scholar is said to have risen from his coffin in the middle of the bridge amid rolling thunder after his son prayed over him — hence the name 'the bridge of returning'. The great onmyōji Abe no Seimei is said to have hidden his twelve spirit servants beneath its footings, and it was here the warrior Watanabe no Tsuna was seized by the hair by the demon Ibaraki-dōji, which flew toward Mount Atago before Tsuna severed its arm. Even today, bridal processions avoid crossing the bridge — whoever does risks 'returning' to the family home.

FAQ

Where is Ichijō Modoribashi Bridge located?

Ichijō Modoribashi Bridge is in Kyoto, Japan.