Sad True Love Story of Harimaya Bridge
The true love story involves a Buddhist priest and young woman who fell for each other and met at Harimaya Bridge.
by Bob Kerstetter
If you saw the 2009 movie Harimaya Bridge, you may recognize this short span in Kochi City, Japan.
Constructed as a private bridge over a river in the 1600s, it became public because of its heavy use by locals.
The true love story involves a Buddhist priest and young woman who fell for each other. His sect prohibited such relationships. They were discovered when someone saw him buying her a hairpin at a shop near the bridge. They were banished to separate locations, never to see each other again.
Today, the small bridge is a symbol of this city on the Japanese island of Shikoku. The statue in front of the bridge memorializes the love story. Look closely and you can see the hairpin.
