This is the covered bridge first constructed in Hoi An in the 1590s by the Japanese to link with the Chinese area across the stream. Though much has been done to the bridge in the intervening years, apparently the original design is still evident. It certainly makes for an intriguing entry into the old town – the entrances are guarded by statues of a pair of monkeys at one end and a pair of dogs at the other. The old town is a delight to visit. Houses several centuries old still exist and the influence of all the various nations that traded in this significant port on the South China Sea (including Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, Indian, Thai, French) can be seen. It is wonderful that this atmospheric place has survived, particularly when you consider the the savage wars of the 20th century, and great that it is now safeguarded as a Unesco World Heritage site.