Sumida River and the popular boat rides which run from Asakusa through the shitamachi area are big tourist attractions, but since I've come to Tokyo I've started to visit the various bridges that cross the river. One of my favorites is Kachidoki Bridge; however, Chuo-Ohashi tops the list.
Kachidoki Bridge is attractive for technical reasons and associated history, while Chuo-Ohashi is attractive with the surrounding skyline. The new residential real estate development and since 2012 the Tokyo Skytree in the distance have added new beauty to the already stunning cityscape.
Located in the Chuo-ward of Tokyo, the bridge is in walking distance from the Tozai Line station Monzen-Nakacho, crossing over Eitai-Dori. The bridge construction was completed on 26th August in 1993, which incidentally was the same day the iconic Rainbow Bridge in Odaiba was completed. The bridge was designed by a French design company and the Mayor of Paris at that time, Jacques Chirac, presented the statue Messenger by the designer Ossip Zadkine to the city of Tokyo. The statue Messenger, designed in 1937, is installed facing the river side and can be seen from the boats that pass underneath the bridge.
In 2012 the Tokyo skyline around Chuo-Ohashi got a beautiful addition, the Tokyo Skytree. Standing on the bridge, you can look over Eitai Bridge in the distance and the Tokyo Skytree just behind it. In the evenings this is a very beautiful sight; many people stop their jog for a moment, take a snap with their smartphone and proceed. The blue arc of Eitai Bridge reflecting in the water and the tourist boats passing by make this bridge my top favorite of all the ones along the Sumida River.
The constructions on the either side of the river near Chuo-Ohashi Bridge is rather new, and most of them are UR apartments (Urban Renaissance Agency) for the upscale market: Stunningly beautiful high-rise buildings on reclaimed land, the water right in front of you, and there are good jogging lanes along the river. This is my personal favorite spot for weekend morning runs. The proximity to Ginza, Tokyo Station and the Nihonbashi area is fantastic and I dream that someday I will rent a flat in one of these UR apartments at the waterfront.
