There is a wide variety of bridges, which add picturesqueness to the garden. There are ishibashi (stone bridges), ki-bashi (wooden bridges) and do-bashi (earthen bridges), each with several varieties. The stone bridge is often in a single piece in a natural state. Some are in single or a couple of pieces, natural or chiselled, curved or straight, simple or complex in construction. The picturesque Chinese stone bridge of Seiko is reproduced in some of the well-known gardens. The wooden bridge has a wider variety than others; some with balustrades and others without; some with varying degrees of curvature and others level; some are in suspension form and others with roofs; some made of logs, and others with a single plank or a series of planks. The last known as hatsu-hashi (eight bridges), generally used in iris ponds, is composed of eight planks of wood placed in zigzag form of varying angles, the end of each plank overlapping the other. The earthen bridge, examples of which will be seen in the reproductions that follow, adds rusticity to the garden. In recent years, in order to ensure durability, the framework is made of reinforced concrete and the top is coated with sand and turf.
