This bridge built to across Asato River from Kinjou-town Cobblestone street to Shikina. The first bridge was made of wood; however, it washed away by catastrophic flood and was replaced with a stone bridge, in 1677. In 1810, a monument called “Jyushu kanagusuku-bashi hi” was established, to commemorate the bridge repair; however, it destroyed by the war, except for the restored monument. Also, a new bridge has been built here. “Shichinanda Inen-bi”(Shichinanda slope’s will-o’-the-wisp) is a story of a harmonious couple. Every time the wife went to sell TOFU (soybean cake) to Shuri-Ikehata-cho, she came home late. Carrying a torch, the husband went to pick her up. One day, the wife was assaulted by someone and she commited suicide at Kanagusuku Bridge. The news of wife’s death reached to waiting husband. He was in deep sorrow and he followed his wife, by committing suicide at the bridge. Later on, some presence of the couple’s fateful end remains in this place. Shichinanda inenbi story told: since then, the couples will-o’-the-wisp appears when the time to pick her up.

Basic information

Address

902-0071 4-20 Hantagawa Naha Okinawa

Business hours

Nothing in particular

Close day

Nothing in particular

Charge

Free

Parking

None

Access information

Take the "Yui Rail" from Naha Airport. A 21-minute walk from Shuri station. A 1-minute walk from the Ishidatami-mae bus stop on the No. 4, or No. 15 bus.
(Shikina slope is paved in red and has become an ordinary road.)

Additional Information

Academic information

Kanagusuku Bridge, built during the Ryukyu Kingdom era, to cross the Kanagusuku River, which runs between Shuri Plateu and, Shikina (or Shichina) Plateau. This bridge replaced a wooden bridge with a stone bridge, in 1677. (Kanagusuku bridge monument established). In 1809, the bridge was destroyed by flood, and the bridge was replaced at a lower area of the river, the following year. "Jyuushuu Kanagusuku bridge monument was constructed and placed on south side of the bridge. In 1945, the bridge and monument were destroyed by the Battle of Okinawa; the existing part of the monument was replaced on the north side of bridge when the bridge was repaired, in 1985.

Shichinanda is the slope reaches to Shikina from Kanagusuku bridge. The common name "Shichinanhira" is local dialect (Shichina=Shikina); however, it changed to "Shichinanda" and added the word "bira"(meaning slope); it then became "Shichinanda". Shichinandabira was made of cobblestone and pine trees lined the way up the slope connecting to Shikina-en, which was the Royal family's annex; this was a main road connecting Shimajiri to Shuri.

There are a couple folklore related to Shichinandabira　passed through the generations, when the time ships came up to there through Kanagusuku river, people from Miyako island carved a fish shape in the cove at riverside for safe sailing then, that area called "Iyusachibaru"(Iyu means fish in dialect) and the story called "Shichinandabira inenbi". This story telling about a couple who jumped off from the bridge then, their grudge turned to will-o'-the-wisp (inenbi) and, the will-o'-the wisp wandering from top of the hill to riverside.

Quote

Rekishi Sanpo Map Mawashi Mai, Kaisetsu-hen, Naha City Museum of History