Important Cultural Property Destroyed in the First Godzilla Movie

Featured in the movie “Godzilla” (1954) is the Kachidoki Bridge in Chuo Ward. After destroying the Diet Building, Godzilla heads toward Ueno and enters Sumida River. While making its way to Tokyo Bay, it flips Kachidoki Bridge over and destroys it. Kachidoki Bridge, which was completed in 1940, is one of the few double-leafed drawbridges in the country. The opening and closing operations were suspended on November 29, 1970. The leaves are currently closed. The bridge was designated as a national Important Cultural Property in 2007. In the movie, a radio broadcast describing Godzilla’s progression mentions that it’s moving from Ueno into Asakusa, and then going south into Sumida River, but the Ueno and Asakusa destruction path is not shown on screen.