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大井川にかかる蓬萊橋(ほうらいばし)は、全長897.4メートル、通行幅2.4メートルの木造歩道橋です。貴重な歴史的土地改良施設として県内外から多数の観光客が訪れる島田市を代表する観光スポットです。国内でも数少ない賃取橋(ちんとりばし)として有名で、平成9年12月30日には「世界一の長さを誇る木造歩道橋」としてイギリスのギネス社に認定されました。長い木=長生きの橋、全長897.4(やくなし=厄無し」の語呂合わせで縁起のいい橋として人気があります。(島田市HPより http://www.city.shimada.shizuoka.jp/kairyo/houraibasi.html)
蓬莱橋(静岡県) - Wikipedia http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%93%AC%E8%8E%B1%E6%A9%8B_(%E9%9D%99%E5%B2%A1%E7%9C%8C)
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The eight islands of Japan sprang into existence through Divine Intervention.The first two gods who came into existence were Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto, the Exalted Male and Exalted Female. It was their job to make the land for people to live on.They went to the bridge between heaven and earth and, using a jewel-encrusted halberd, Izanagi and Izanami churned up the sea into a frothy foam. As salty drips of water fell from the tip of the halberd the first island was formed. Its name was Onogoro.So far, so good. But when Izanagi and Izanami first met on their island, Izanami spoke to Isanagi without being spoken to first. Since she was the female, and this was improper, their first union created badly-formed offspring who were sent off into the sea in boats.The next time they met, Izanagi was sure to speak first, ensuring the proper rules were followed, and this time they produced eight children, which became the islands of Japan.I'm sure you did not fail to miss the significance of this myth for the establishment of Japanese formal society.At present, Japan is the financial capital of Asia. It has the second largest economy in the world and the largest metropolitan area (Tokyo.)Technically there are three thousand islands making up the Japanese archipelago. Izanagi and Izanami must have been busy little devils with their jewelled halberd...Japan's culture is highly technical and organized. Everything sparkles and swooshes on silent, miniaturized mechanisms.They're a world leader in robotics, and the Japanese have the longest life-expectancy on earth.Text by Steve Smith.