Japanese Challenge: The correct name for this bridge

Guest   Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:28 pm GMT
Can you read this correctly? Please put your answer in Hiragana or Romaji. Thanks!

子子子子橋
MyGuessIsThis   Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:46 am GMT
Never seen that word before.

ko-ko-ko-ko hashi?
ko-ko-ko-ko bashi?
ko-ko-ko shikyou?
shi-shi-shi-shi kyou?

four-child bridge?
tiny bridge? childish bridge? children's brige?

No, I can't read that.
Guest   Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:24 am GMT
My first guess was that 子子 might really be 孖, but that still didn't help me. I can't read it either.
MyGuessIsThis   Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:52 am GMT
What city is that bridge in?
Guest   Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:57 am GMT
Lol, like boufuri boufuri bashi?
Guest   Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:12 am GMT
Hint: The bridge is or was on the island of Kyushu.
Guest   Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:18 am GMT
Second Hint: It is the character for child repeated four times and bridge, of course.

Third Hint: Each character gets a different reading/pronunciation.
Guest   Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:53 pm GMT
Ah, I have no idea, too many possibilities.
What about Koneshitsu?
beneficii   Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:09 pm GMT
Well, that character has about 10 nanori. Which nanori compose it, I don't know.
beneficii   Sat Aug 23, 2008 7:10 pm GMT
Also, a search on Google Japan turns up nothing.
K. T.   Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:19 am GMT
The character for "child" has four readings. Don't feel bad if you didn't get it, Japanese natives have trouble with this.

According to Nelson:

Su/ko=child
shi=viscount, male
ne=11 p.m. to 1 a.m., also the rat/lst zodiac sign

Su-ne-ko-shi bridge.
K. T.   Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:20 am GMT
There are also other possible meanings for the readings.

Maybe you can surprise your Japanese friends!