The season has come again for carp streamers to flutter over Iwamoto Bridge! Iwamoto Bridge, a designated Important Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture, measures 32 m in length and 4 m in width. This rare stone arch bridge was built in the Edo period by double-stacking cut rock from Aso gyotan-ishi. It spans the Sekigawa River on the border between Arao City and Omuta City and is affectionately known locally as an eyeglass bridge. The chrysanthemum crest carved in relief on the west-facing exterior is famous. It is said to be the work of Hashimoto Kangoro, a master builder from Yatsushiro who constructed many renowned bridges in the early Meiji era, including the Nijubashi at the Imperial Palace. The bridge is well preserved and you can walk across it. Raising date: Saturday, April 5 (If it rains, the event will be postponed by one week) Period: Saturday, April 5 to mid-May Location: Iwamoto Bridge 182-2 Kamiede, Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture 864-0013