Chùa Cầu - Japanese Bridge: Closed for Restoration @ Hoi An in Vietnam

Printed on the back of the Vietnamese currency note of 20,000 dong is a picture of a historic bridge located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An, and I was all prepared to flash the note when I visited the ancient town back in March 2024.

After searching for the location of the bridge, which I previously saved on Google Map and walking past a few times, it dawned on me that the above structure, that sticks out like a sore thumb, was the correct place!  Was the bridge demolished?! 

Turned out the more than 400-year old bridge was closed for conservation works which shall include "reinforcing the foundation, repairing the floor, the timber framework and roof". 

Well, it looked more like a demolition process but I understand from some posters located on site that dismantling was required for restoration works, and based on what Wikipedia indicated, the 18-meter-long bridge was "completely restored in August 2024".

Although restoration was ongoing back when I visited in March 2024, there were like viewing gallery allowing visitors a glimpse of the restoration in progress. It's ticked although there's will not be anyone manning early in the morning or at night. 

What intrigued me were two statues on the sides that were honored with an altar table in front of them ; one was noticeably a dog whereas the other one seemed like a monkey! That's hardly the right combination; shouldn't it be a cat instead of a monkey? 

According to a webpage I found, "they represent the guardians of the bridge, since they symbolize protection and safety in Japanese culture". 

Hoi An is a place I would love to return to in the near future and I hope that I would be able to have an updated post, showing the heritage bridge in its full restored glory! 

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Address

186 Trần Phú, Phường Minh An, 

Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

Map

As above. 

Click here for my 8 Days' Itinerary to Danang (The City of Bridges) & Hoi An (The City of Lanterns) in Vietnam