Bridges
The oldest bridge in Hoi An is the Japanese Bridge, also known as the Pagoda Bridge. The bridge was built in the late sixteenth century by Japanese residents. It is believed that the bridge was built to appease a mythical creature, the Cu. According to legend, the creature’s head is in India, its spine runs along the Vietnamese coast and its tail is in Japan. When the creature moves, there are earthquakes in Japan. By building the bridge on the creature’s spine it was hoped to prevent earthquakes in Japan.
The bridge is arched, has seven spans and is covered by a roof, which has helped preserve the wooden bridge structure. It is lined by two narrow corridors on either side that house religious objects. Therefore, it is also a place of worship.