Old Okukubi River Bridge Photos

Once a Main Highway Through the Ryukyu Island

 

 

Out today with 420MM of lens on the camera, no birds showed up.

Walking all those miles with a heavy load, I wasn't coming home empty handed.

It took some creativity and, plenty of backing up, to shoot these photos.

A sign near the Kin Dam, shows what the bridge looked like, back in 1931.

A Google search led me to Map It Okinawa's website, where I learned something.

 All that's left of the bridge, is a partial arch, on the east side of the river.

It seems like, the Japanese Army, knew the Americans were going to attack them.

So, they destroyed the bridge, to slow their attackers down.

Somebody must have thought, that sounded like a good idea and said "Let's do it."

Ouch !

Travel Photo: Gara Stone Bridge in Uruma City Okinawa, Japan

Gara Bridge may be one of the oldest bridges in Okinawa, Japan.

It is Uruma City Cultural Asset #17  "Architecture" according to a sign posted nearby.

Originally, it was a wooden bridge built for the safety of children going to school.

That was back in the days when an Emperor of Japan sat on the throne.

Fearing  a good downpour could wash the structure away, it was redesigned, as you see it today.

Five meters high, five meters long and two meters wide, this bridge was built in 1928.

Architects like this stone arch bridge.

That's because, they say, the more you use it, the stronger it gets.

Note to locals: Map It Okinawa will have to show you how to find this gem.

Meanwhile, I'll be bugging  Uruma City to see where all the rest of their cultural assets are hidden.