At the foot of the mountain where the Gion Shrine stands, there is an area where there used to be a red-light district. When the Kitamae Vessels made a call, the men turned out to drink and spend time with the women. There were prostitutes who were regularly intimate with sailors when the ships docked. Just a few romantic days together, then the men would return to sea. The women simply counted the days until they could see their sailors again. "Madakana madakana(When would it be? When would it be?)" They waited anxiously at this bridge--and that was how it got its name, Madakana(When Would It Be) Bridge.
There are several other sayings about the origin of this romantic and sweet name of the bridge. The wives and lovers of local fishermen waiting for their men to return, for one. Another says it was the brothel owner instead of the prostitutes who waited for the ships--their source of income--to arrive, and so on. In any case, the bridge that bears the name of the women’s wishes had been taken down about 20 years ago. All that remain is part of its stone handrail that points out the place.