The stunning Shinkyo Bridge, painted in vibrant vermilion, serves as a fitting entrance to the sacred site of Nikko. Originally known as “Obashi” or “Yamasuga no Hebibashi” (Heavy Mountain Sedge Bridge), it is associated with the Nikko Futarasan-jinjia. Designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, the bridge was registered as a World Heritage Site in December 1999.

Measuring 28 meters in length, 7.4 meters in width, and 10.6 meters high (above the water), the bridge features 10 main pillars on the parapet, each adorned with a giboju (a sacred jewel made from milk tree wood). The underside of the bridge planks is coated in black lacquer, while the rest of the structure is painted vermilion.

Constructed at the end of the Nara period based on mystical traditions, the Shinkyo Bridge was revered as a sacred structure. Since its reconstruction into the current form in 1630, it has been used exclusively for religious ceremonies, visits by the Shogun to the shrine, imperial envoys, and ceremonial offerings. The general public has been permitted to cross a temporary bridge (Nikko Bridge) downstream.

In 1982, marking the 1,200th anniversary of the shrine established at the summit of Mt. Nantai, the bridge was opened to the public in 1973 as part of the memorial service. Major repair work was conducted in 1997. Notably, it is the only old drawbridge-type bridge spanning a mountain gorge in Japan. It is recognized as one of the country's three most unique bridges, alongside the Kintai Bridge in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the Saruhashi Bridge in Yamanashi Prefecture.

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