Category:

Municipally Designated Historical Site

Title:

Fujihashi no rokubudo

The Rokubudo Hall of Fuji-bashi Bridge

藤橋の六部堂

No. of features:

N/A

Designated:

April 14, 1977

Location:

66-2 Uetayahon, Nishi Ward

Owner:

Saitama City

Description:

The Kamogawa River runs along the modern-day border of Nishi Ward’s Uetayahon area and the 4th district of Omiya Ward’s Miyashi area. A bridge woven from wisteria vines called “Fuji-bashi Bridge” once crossed this river. Prone to wash away during floods and difficult to cross without falling, Fuji-bashi Bridge was a cause for concern amongst the locals. 

In the late Edo period, a wandering ascetic known as Koheiji decided to address this issue. He walked to neighboring villages, collected donations, and replaced the wisteria Fuji-bashi with a stone bridge. The villagers built Rokubudou Hall in order to share the story of Koheiji’s generous deed. The structure’s name is an abbreviation of “rokuju-rokubu”, a term used to refer to wandering ascetics that traveled around sixty-six holy sites.

Rokubudou Hall features a memorial pillar in commemoration of the stone bridge. It is inscribed with the date 1796.

Stones from the old Fuji-bashi Bridge have been reduced to a quarter of their original length and repurposed as paving stones.

Sources:

Omiya City Cultural Property Survey Report, Vol. 5 (Omiya City Board of Education, published in 1972)

Cultural Properties in Omiya 3., Omiya Municipal Board of Education, 1987.

Visitors are encouraged to admire the outside of this structure, please do not enter or try to look inside the hall. When visiting, please be mindful of your actions and avoid disturbing the owners of the cultural property, local residents, and other visitors.

Inquiries (Japanese only)

Cultural Heritage Preservation Division, Department of Lifelong Learning, Board of Education Secretariat　

TEL: 048-829-1723 FAX: 048-829-1989

https://www.city.saitama.jp/004/005/006/001/005/001/003/p000510.html