160306-0033 - Earthquake Reconstruction Bridge

Aioi-bashi Bridge (相生橋) at Tsukishima Island (月島) in Tokyo, ca. 1930 (Showa 5). The bridge crosses the Sumidagawa River to connect Tsukishima in Chuo-ku with Etchujima (越中島) in Koto-ku. The photographer stood on the Tsukishima side and looked towards Fukagawa (深川). The bridge was completely destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake (Kanto Daishinsai) of September 1, 1923 (Taisho 12), making Tsukishima once again an island. In 1926 (Taisho 15), the new bridge shown in this postcard was completed. It was the first bridge of Tokyo's enormous earthquake reconstruction project. From the postcard series The 16 Bridges of Tokyo (東京大十六橋). Tokyo celebrated the official completion of its earthquake reconstruction in March 1930. As part of the project, hundreds of bridges were built or reconstructed. This series appears to have been published to coincide with the celebration. Photo by MeijiShowa/AFLO