Statues of Kirin — Attraction in Tokyo

Kirin Statues of Nihonbashi Bridge 日本橋麒麟像： Although in modern Japanese, kirin means “giraffe,” the mythical Kirin is an entirely different species. Similar to the chimeric creature qilin of Chinese mythology, kirin possess the body of a deer, the face of a dragon, the tail of a bull, and the hooves of a horse with scales and one or more horns. Traditionally, the Kirin is not depicted with wings on its back, but the bronze statues of Nihonbashi are winged and more dragon-like in appearance. This is based on the sculptor Osao Watanabe’s wishes, that the then-growing city of Tokyo of 1911 would soar into the sky from Nihonbashi Bridge at the center of the city. Originally built in 1603, Nihonbashi was a wooden bridge that became the busiest point in the city of Edo, modern-day Tokyo. In the 300 years after its original construction, the bridge burned down and was rebuilt 10 times before the current stone bridge was completed in 1911. Adorning this bridge are bronze statues of wayō-setchū (Japanese-Western fusion) design, namely the lion bearing the Crest of the Tokyo Metropolis, and the winged Kirin. Tokyo's Nihonbashi district is named for the bridge, which also serves as the kilometer zero marker for Japan's national highway network. The district is sometimes called the "center of Japan," and its busy streets are lined with shops and restaurants. In 2011, a boat landing was built to mark the 100th anniversary of the...

This is the old center of #tokyo , starting in Japan’s #edo period (1603-1867) only a short walk from the Imperial Palace. #nihonbashibridge is a national symbol as the starting point of five major roads that lead into and out of Tokyo. The district had prospered with the opening of this bridge in the early 17th century. Today, the bridge carries a bronze signpost with the words „Origin of Roads in Japan,“ and the location is used as a base point to measure distances from Tokyo.

Ahhh 😜 I forget to mention that they‘ve build a motorway 🛣️ right on top of the river and over the first bridge. Japan loves to go for...

My favorite is the amazing dragon and lion figurines that have been here for years. The structural design of Nihonbashi is also wonderful no matter how many times I look at it.

This giraffe statue is famous for Keigo Higashino's novel "Kirin no Tsubasa" set in Nihonbashi. However, I would also like to recommend Hiroshi Aramata's novel "Teito Monogatari", in which this Kirin statue appears. This is because it is an interesting sci-fi work that has also been made into an...