Vietnam - Hoi An - Japanese Covered Bridge

Japanese Covered Bridge's Pagoda (Chua Cau or Lai Vien Kieu). is a unique covered structure built by the Japanese, the only known covered bridge with a Buddhist temple attached to one side. The Bridge is located on the west end of Tran Phu Street. The bridge was constructed in the early 1600's by the Japanese community, roughly 40 years before they left the city to return to Japan under the strict policy of sakoku enforced by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and renovated in 1986. Today, it's the symbol of Hoi An. There are three old houses that exist in an awkward halfway state between museum show-piece and somewhat shabby residence

The monkey and dog animal statues guard the bridge at either end along with an ancient Chinese script at one end written in Chu Nho, listing all the benefactors who contributed to the restoration of the bridge. Some stories say the bridge was started and completed in the years of the dog and monkey; others say these commemorated the many Japanese emperors born in these years.

Inside the Japanese Covered Bridge in Hoi An, there is a temple of the northern god Tran Vo Bac De. This god is considered to be the god of weather. People believe that He controls all kinds of weather changes and natural calamities. Important in a town with frequent floods and earthquakes.

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