Seta no Karahashi Bridge – Omi Eight Views’ Famous Bridge Over the Seta River –

【Highlights】
・A historic bridge spanning the Seta River, counted among Japan’s Three Great Bridges.
・Beautiful waterside scenery at dusk, associated with “Sunset Glow at Seta,” one of the Eight Views of Omi.
・A distinctive structure consisting of a large bridge and a small bridge, with a gentle curve and giboshi posts that preserve traces of the past.
・A great spot for a stroll where you can feel the flow of the Seta River and the history of Otsu as you cross the bridge.

【History & Culture】
Seta no Karahashi Bridge is a historic bridge spanning the Seta River. In the past, it was also known as “Seta-bashi” and “Seta no Nagahashi,” and it even appears in The Chronicles of Japan. Because it was a key transportation and military hub leading to Kyoto, it was considered so important that people said, “Whoever controls Karahashi controls the nation.”

It is said that during the Warring States period, Oda Nobunaga shaped it into its current form, consisting of a large bridge and a small bridge. While the current bridge was rebuilt in Showa 54 (1979), it still preserves traces of the past in its gentle curve and in features such as giboshi posts from the former bridge. Counted among the Eight Views of Omi as “Sunset Glow at Seta,” it is a famous bridge where you can trace history while taking in the scenery of the Seta River.

【A Saying with Local Ties】
“More haste, less speed” is said to originate from the idea that, rather than taking the shortcut of crossing Lake Biwa by boat, it was safer to go around via Seta no Karahashi Bridge. Beyond its scenic beauty as a famous bridge, the saying also reflects its long history as a vital transportation hub.