Benkei Bridge

Benkeibashi is a bridge that connects Akasaka with Kioicho, spanning Benkeibori—a remnant of the Edo castle outer moat.

The modern reinforced concrete road bridge (constructed in 1985) stands where there was once a wooden bridge with the same name. The original Benkeibashi was located far away in the Kanda Iwamotocho neighborhood, but was disassebled and erected in the current location of the bridge in 1889.

There is a fishing jetty and facility for renting rowboats right next to the bridge. There are different rates for hiring a “tourist” boat and a fishing boat. The fee for a tourist boat is ¥490 per person per 30 minutes. For a fishing boat, the fees are a bit higher—¥1,700 for one person for an hour, and ¥2,700 for two people for the same time period. For not much more, you can hire a boat for the whole day. If you don’t have your own gear, you can get a rod with bait for ¥200 for 30 minutes. If you want to fish from the jetty, there is an additional fee of ¥450 for 30 minutes. One thing we can’t vouch for is the quality of the fish. With water draining from the surrounding roads into the moat and the obviously poor water quality, we would probably throw the fish back.

The bridge is a popular spot for shooting cherry blossoms and the winter lights next to the neigboring Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho.