Osaka has traditionally possessed a highly developed water transportation
network of rivers and canals, and its numerous bridges have led locals
to coin the term "the 808 bridges of Naniwa" in reference to
this unique aspect of the city.
Indeed, are you aware of the seemingly countless bridges that dot the
landscape here in Osaka?
There are 823 bridges currently managed by the city of Osaka and several
dozen more managed by other parties for a total of over 872 bridges that
can be found within the city limits.
There is such a broad array of different bridge forms that are represented
in Osaka that the city is often regarded as a veritable catalog of bridges,
with each example conforming to its local topography and environmental
conditions. Scores of engineers from across Japan and around the world
have visited Osaka to study the city's fascinating collection of bridges,
which includes arch bridges, box beam bridges, and cable stay bridges.
From a design standpoint, one can appreciate the diverse features that
have added flair to various landmark bridges in Osaka - from a lion sitting
by the approach to one bridge, to a bridge shaped like a pair of glasses
when seen from above, and another that lights up at night to resemble
a ginkgo tree. |
