Hokonagashi Bridge spans over the Dojima River, connecting the north bank of Nakanoshima Island (around the area where Osaka City Central Public Hall and the Museum of Oriental Ceramics are located) and the Nishitenma area (around Osaka High Court). In the morning of July 24 each year, the Hokonagashi Shinji, a ritual in which a sacred halberd is released into the Dojima River to locate the "otabisho (resting place for the god)" of the year, is held at the foot of this bridge. The bridge was named Hokonagashi after this ritual. The original bridge is said to have been constructed in 1918. The bridge completed in 1929 featured handrails, lamps and main pillars in classic Japanese design. Classic designs were adopted with the consideration that the bridge is the venue for the Hokonagashi Shinji of Tenjin Festival. During the Second World War, all the handrails and lamps of the bridge were requisitioned by the government. In 1980, new handrails and lamps in classic design were installed and a brick pavement was laid, so as to match the atmosphere of the Nakanoshima area. The bridge is usually quiet, but on July 24, it is packed with crowds of people for about 40 minutes during which the Hokonagashi Shinji is conducted.