The Toyo Masonry Museum, or “Sekisho-kan,” is Japan’s first museum to showcase the unique skills and technology developed to build stone bridges.
Sekisho-kan is the museum for all stone bridges in Toyo Town, Yatsushiro City. This area was once called Taneyama, as it was famous for Taneyama-stonework, well known as a symbol of Kumamoto Prefecture. Taneyama’s men built numerous bridges, including the aqueduct Tsujunkyo Bridge. Today there are 21 bridges that have stayed standing in Toyo Town even after over a century of hardy weather.
The museum hosts exhibits about the masonry of Iwanaga Sangoro and Hashimoto Kangoro, and interactive pieces demonstrating contemporary stone bridge building techniques.
Toyo Masonry Museum’s building was built with local tuff, or tufa, stones made from volcanic ash to make the walls and the distinctive round dome, as designed by Kijima Yasufumi. This building received an award from the Kumamoto Artpolis for its groundbreaking use of unique construction materials and beautiful appearance.
Visit this hub of masonry history and learn about the surprising knowledge and techniques stone-masons used over a century ago.