Bridges are both a functional and ornamental addition to the Japanese garden. Bridges that cross over sand are not functional. It is exclusively an ornamental device used to promote spiritual and intellectual meditation. The absence of a handrail underscores both the ornamental quality and the spiritual: there is no division between the visitor and his surroundings. The stone bridge is usually elevated on either ends by a pair of stones, or hashibasami- no- ishi. Bridges come in various forms and styles. The materials used vary from worked and unworked stones to different types of wood. In addition, when gardens have multiple bridges, repetition is avoided in order to produce variety in aesthetic experience.
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