The Shinkyo Bridge is one of Japan's most famous historical bridges, located near the entrance of the Nikko shrine area. Shinkyo literally means 'sacred bridge' and it was off bounds for the public for most of its history. Today, it is possible to walk across the vermillion bridge if you pay an admission fee, but it is also possible to take beautiful pictures of the bridge and the river from a distance for free. It is said that crossing the bridge will bring good fortune to lovers. According to myth, the bridge was formed in the ancient period when a Buddhist protective deity released two serpents: the sedge that grew out of their backs turned into the foundations of the bridge.