Japanese Covered Bridge

One ofVietnam's most iconic attractions,JapaneseCovered Bridgein Hoi An can be dated back to the 17th century and it is a beautiful historical piece of Japanese architecture.

Japanese settled in the town in large numbers following a treaty with local Nguyen lords signed in the early 1600s. According to the treaty the Nguyen Lords allowed the Japanese to construct streets, pagodas, and other infrastructure, along with housing for the merchants. The bridge is one of a handful of architectural treasures still extant from that era.

The bridge is about 60 feet in length and simply, yet colorfully painted in red with a wooden pagoda roof. On the north side of the bridge you'll discover a temple dedicated to the Taoist God of weather, this is where locals will often pray to stave off any impending earthquakes. The bridge also features the sculptures of two dogs and two monkeys representing the Chinese years that the bridge began in the year of the dog and was completed in the year of the monkey.