The commercial harbor of Hoi An probably took shape in the late 16th century. Early in the following century, 'TI ore merchants came from Japan. They inhabited an entire street and, like the Chinese, built their own temples and- meeting halls. One particular sample of Japanese architecture is "Lai Vien Kieu," a bridge that adds to the beauty of the town. In Vietnamese, the bridge is called "Chua Cau." The French called it "Pont Japonais" and the street where it is located, "Rue du Pont Japonais".

The single-span bridge, 3 m wide and 18 m long, is laid across a deep waterway that flows into the Thu Bon River. It is made of wood and painted with red lacquer. The carvings on it bespeak great craftsmanship. The bridge is curved in the middle where there is an altar with an equestrian statue representing "Bac De" (Northern Emperor) and his war steed. The middle lane, reserved for vehicular traffic, is flanked by two pedestrian lanes. The bridge is guarded at one end by two wooden dogs, and at the other, by two wooden monkeys. The statues are covered with a coat of stone-grey paint. Generally speaking, the bridge is light in appearance. It is convenient for both traffic and worship. There is room on it even for people with time to while away and for flower and incense vendors. The bridge is provided with a roof, which is typical of tropical Asia where, like in China, Vietnam and Japan, bridges in the old days also served as temporary shelters and as market places.

The builders of the b ridge believed that Hoi An was t he middle section of the back of a giant "mamazu," a monster similar to the Asian dragon which was believed to be the cause of all earthquakes in Japan, and whose head was supposed to be in India and whose tail was said to be in Japan. A bridge built at that very place was hoped to act like a sword planted into the back of the monster. Japan would thus be protected from further disasters and Japanese at Hoi An would have peace and prosperity. In 1719, Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu made a tour of Hoi An. He gave the bridge the name of "Lai Vien Kieu," which means "Bridge of Friends From Afar." The words come from a phrase in Confucius's "Lunyu" (Analects) quite familiar to the Vietnamese and Japanese alike: "Huu bang tu vien phuong lai, bat diec lac ho?' (Friends coming from afar, isn't that a pleasure?). Clearly the bridge is a reminder of warm friendship. It is material evidence of the existence of a Japanese sector at Hoi An under the reign of the Nguyen Lords. A Chinese monk of the period, Thich Dai San, also mentioned the bridge in his "Hai Ngoai Ky Su" (Overseas Notes): "Hoi An is a harbor where exotic goods abound. A large road runs along the river for 3 - 4 miles. On the two sides stand houses in a close succession. Nhan Khai Street is inhabited exclusively by Chinese. A t the end of it is the Japanese Bridge and Cam Pho village. On the other side of the river is Tra Nhieu village where foreign vessels are berthed.

Japanese settled at Hoi An. They mixed with natives and gradually adopted local customs. It's certain that an "acculturation" did take place between these two Oriental peoples. There is not much in the matter of written literary documents on which we can base ourselves to measure the exact extent of the osmosis that really occurred during this coexistence, but it can be said that the Japanese and the Vietnamese shared certain fields of culture. "Lai Vien Kieu" is just another proof of Vietnamese - Japanese friendship. It is known that among the Japanese who did business in Hoi An in the late 16th century, there lived a well-known man by the name of Araki Shutaro. In 1626, Shutaro married a Nguyen princess. The royal woman later went to Japan together with her husband. She died there in 1643. The shrine erected in her memory at Nagasa is still standing.

More evidence can be cited regarding the good relations between Japan and the Nguyen Lords. The Nagoya Family is still in possession of a statue of Bodhisattva, a gift from the Nguyen in the early 17th century, and a scroll featuring a ship of the Chaya on its way into Da nang. The Kodoya Family has in its possession a sea map drawn on a piece of sheepskin on which t he route from Nagasaki to Hoi An is marked by pins. At the very outset of the trade exchanges. Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen showed great open-mindedness by allowing Japanese merchants to settle on Vietnamese territory (the Japanese sector at Hoi An) to do business on a permanent basis.

Regrettably, the next government in Japan in 1636 banned further foreign trade by Japanese. It also ordered the instant repatriation of those who had gone abroad. Disobedience would incur the death penalty. Despite the halt in Vietnamese-Japanese trade, a number of Japanese stayed on at Hoi An. A few Japanese graves can still be seen today. Of all the proofs of the relations between Japan and Vietnam since the 17th century, "Lai Vien Kieu" is the most striking. It is the best symbol of the Japanese-Vietnamese friendship. As such, it deserves the best care that can be provided.