The best known of several bridges that cross the Nakashima-gawa, the Spectacles Bridge is so called because the reflection of the arches in the water looks like a pair of Meiji-era spectacles.
At one time, each bridge was the distinct entrance to a separate temple. Six of the 10 bridges, including Megane-bashi, were washed away on 23 July 1982 but later restored using the recovered stones.