Japan Doesn’t Build Boring Bridges (12 Photos)

November 9, 2026

By Vidar

Twelve bridges Japan built its own way

One looks like a ski jump. One sprays water out of its sides. One is woven from vines and rebuilt every three years. All twelve are in Japan, and none of them is the usual way across.

Most of them look strange for a reason. Many were built to get around something: a gorge with no room for a pier, a mountain road lost to a landslide, a strait too wide for anything ordinary, ships that needed space underneath. Below, every bridge comes with the story behind it.

More: I Wouldn’t Drive This (11 Photos)

🎢 Eshima Ohashi Bridge — Matsue, Shimane and Sakaiminato, Tottori, Japan 🇯🇵

From this angle it looks like a wall of asphalt. The bridge over Lake Nakaumi is real, but the climb is not: shot from far away with a telephoto lens, the slope is squeezed together. The actual gradient is 6.1% on the Shimane side and 5.1% on the Tottori side.

💡 Ship Fact: It rises nearly 45 meters so that ships can still pass under it. Building it took from 1997 to 2004.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsEshima Ohashi Bridge — Matsue and SakaiminatoBuilt 1997–2004 · Lake Nakaumi, Matsue and SakaiminatoMax gradient 6.1%About 44.7 m highOver Lake Nakaumi1Built from 1997 to 2004, it rises about 44.7 m over Lake Nakaumi so ships can pass underneath.Wikipedia2Its steepest gradient is 6.1%; long-lens photos make the slope look far steeper.JAL SKYWARD+200416 OctBridge opens to traffic201431 JulPort boat tour views it from the water · MLIT20212 FebFeature on why the slope exists · Norimono News202112 JunPhotographed from Daikon Island202525 JulVisitor guide with viewpoint · JAL SKYWARD+Read the full file →

📷 Photo: Totti / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

💦 Tsūjun Bridge — Yamato, Kumamoto, Japan 🇯🇵

A stone bridge with a waterfall coming out of it. Tsūjun Bridge is an aqueduct, built in 1854 to carry irrigation water across a valley to the Shiraito Plateau. The water inside it is released from both sides to flush out sand and debris that build up in its pipes.

💡 Repair Fact: The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake and heavy rain in 2018 badly damaged it. The water show resumed in July 2020, and in 2023 the bridge was designated a National Treasure.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsTsūjun Bridge — YamatoFuta Yasunosuke · 1854 · Yamato, KumamotoStone aqueduct, 1854National TreasureAbout 21.3 m high1Built in 1854 to carry irrigation water to the Shiraito Plateau; named a National Treasure in 2023.Highlighting Japan (Government of Japan)2Discharge was suspended after a 2026 earthquake; Yamato Town said it would resume on 13 August 2026.Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun202028 NovWater discharge photographed202316 JulFirst discharge after the National Treasure recommendation · Kumanichi2023SepDesignated a National Treasure · Highlighting Japan20263 Apr2026 discharge season begins · Kumanichi20264 AugPartly damaged in an earthquake · Nation Thailand202612 AugDischarge to resume 13 Aug; bridge-top viewing paused · KumanichiRead the full file →

📷 Photo: Totti / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

🐒 Saruhashi (Monkey Bridge) — Ōtsuki, Yamanashi, Japan 🇯🇵

No pier, nothing underneath. Saruhashi rests on beams set into the opposite cliff faces, stacked so each one reaches a little further out. It is 30.9 meters long and about 31 meters above the Katsura River.

💡 Monkey Fact: Legend says monkeys crossed the gorge by forming a bridge with their bodies. It is counted among Japan’s three unusual bridges, and it inspired both Hokusai and Hiroshige.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsSaruhashi (Monkey Bridge) — ŌtsukiŌtsuki City (manager) · Ōtsuki, YamanashiNo piers30.9 m longAbout 31 m high1Built without piers: tiers of cantilever beams reach out from both cliffs over the Katsura River.National Diet Library2Restored in 1984 with steel girders hidden behind a wooden facade, according to Wikipedia.Wikipedia193225 MarDesignated a national Place of Scenic Beauty1984Restored in 1984201113 AugPhoto of the bridge20197 MarSpot introduction · Ōtsuki DMO20256 AugCompared with Hokusai’s print · Wa-rakuRead the full file →

📷 Photo: Aimaimyi / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

🌃 Akashi Kaikyō Bridge — Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan 🇯🇵

Lit up green over the Akashi Strait. The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge has a central span of 1,991 meters. When it opened in 1998 that was the longest in the world, a record it held until Turkey’s 1915 Çanakkale Bridge opened in 2022. It links Kobe with Awaji Island on the most easterly of the three routes between Honshu and Shikoku; the Kurushima-Kaikyō Bridge above sits on another of them, the Shimanami Kaidō.

💡 Earthquake Fact: The 1995 Kobe earthquake hit during construction and moved the towers, so the central span had to grow by about one meter. At night it runs 31 different light patterns.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsAkashi Kaikyō Bridge — KobeJB Honshi · 1998 · Kobe, Hyōgo1,991 m centre span3,911 m long31 light patterns1It opened on 5 April 1998 with a 1,991 m centre span and towers about 300 m high.JB Honshi2According to Wikipedia, the 1995 earthquake moved the towers and lengthened the span by about 1 m.Wikipedia19985 AprOpened to traffic200628 JanPhotographed lit up at night from Maiko202515 NovA proposal at the tower top · Kobe Shimbun202614 JulTower tours open through November · Kobe ShimbunRead the full file →

📷 Photo: Stingy Scoundrel / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

The oldest structure here is the stone aqueduct at Tsūjun, built in 1854; the newest big build is the walkway at Kokonoe, opened in 2006, though the vine bridge in Iya is never more than three years old. Some carry trucks, some only walkers, and on one of them postal staff are allowed to cross by scooter.

🌀 Kawazu-Nanadaru Loop Bridge — Kawazu, Shizuoka, Japan 🇯🇵

Two full circles stacked on top of each other, in the middle of a forest. The loop bridge on the Izu Peninsula was built after a landslide in the 1978 Izu-Ōshima earthquake, and it opened in 1981.

💡 Loop Fact: The double loop is 80 meters across and climbs 45 meters in one go, according to Shizuoka Prefecture.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsKawazu-Nanadaru Loop Bridge — KawazuNational Route 414 · 1981 · Kawazu, ShizuokaTwo loops, 80 m across45 m climbNanadaru Viaduct1Built after a landslide in the 1978 Izu-Ōshima-kinkai earthquake cut the old mountain road.Wikipedia2Its loops, about 80 m across, circle twice to gain 45 m of height.Norimono News1981Completed; JSCE Tanaka Award201423 NovPhoto of the double loop202031 AugAmong free loop roads near Kanto · Norimono News20228 OctHow the loop was born · Kuruma NewsRead the full file →

📷 Photo: FoxyStranger Kawasaki / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

🚲 Kurushima-Kaikyō Bridge — Imabari, Ehime, Japan 🇯🇵

Three suspension bridges in a row, hopping from island to island. The Kurushima-Kaikyō Bridge opened on May 1, 1999, and its operator calls it the first three continuous suspension bridges in the world.

💡 Bike Fact: It runs 4,105 meters over the Kurushima Strait, known for strong tidal currents, and has its own lanes for cyclists and walkers on the Shimanami Kaidō.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsKurushima-Kaikyō Bridge — ImabariJB Honshi · 1999 · Imabari, EhimeThree suspension bridgesOpened 1 May 1999Cycle and walking path1Opened on 1 May 1999; JB Honshi calls it the world’s first three continuous suspension bridges.JB Honshi2JB Honshi offered autumn 2026 tours to a tower top about 180 m above the sea.JB Honshi19991 MayOpened to traffic20106 DecPhotographed from Mt. Kirosan201611 AprTower-climb tours for the route’s 10th anniversary · Travel Watch20263 JulAutumn 2026 cruise and tower-top tours · JB HonshiRead the full file →

📷 Photo: As6022014 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

🌿 Iya no Kazurabashi — Miyoshi, Tokushima, Japan 🇯🇵

Everyone holds on with both hands. The Kazurabashi in the Iya Valley is woven from hardy kiwi vines and is 45 meters long and 14 meters above the water. The gaps between the slats are wide enough to see the river through.

💡 Vine Fact: The bridge is completely rebuilt every three years. Today steel cables are hidden inside the vines for safety.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsIya no Kazurabashi — MiyoshiNishi-Iyayama, Miyoshi, TokushimaVine bridge, 45 m14 m above the riverRebuilt every 3 years1Woven from hardy kiwi vine, it is 45 m long and hangs 14 m above the Iya River.Tokushima Prefecture2The next rebuild runs from 12 January to about the end of February 2027, when it is closed.Miyoshi City Tourism20114 MayVine bridge photographed202230 JunForestry office plans vine seedling planting202411 DecVisitor guide updated · japan-guide.com202530 OctLocal feature on the bridge · yousakana.jp202616 OctRebuild announced for Jan–Feb 2027 · Miyoshi tourismRead the full file →

📷 Photo: ume-y / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

🏝️ Tsunoshima Ohashi Bridge — Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan 🇯🇵

A road laid flat across blue water. Tsunoshima Ohashi links the mainland with the island of Tsunoshima, and at 1,780 meters it is one of Japan’s longest bridges to a remote island that you can cross for free.

💡 Commercial Fact: It opened in 2000. The road has been used in car commercials, movies and TV dramas.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsTsunoshima Ohashi Bridge — ShimonosekiYamaguchi Prefecture · 2000 · Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi1,780 m longToll-freeOpened 3 Nov 20001Opened on 3 November 2000, it links the mainland with the island of Tsunoshima.Wikipedia2Tourism on the island reportedly rose sharply after it opened, NetIB-News wrote in May 2026.NetIB-News20003 NovOpened to traffic201216 AugPhotographed over the sea202114 MarFeature on the bridge as a film and ad location · Kuruma News20268 MayHow the bridge changed Tsunoshima · NetIB-NewsRead the full file →

📷 Photo: 吉田宅浪 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

⛩️ Shinkyō (Sacred Bridge) — Nikkō, Tochigi, Japan 🇯🇵

Bright red lacquer over a fast mountain river. Shinkyō belongs to Futarasan Shrine and is part of the Nikkō World Heritage site. The story goes that two snakes turned into a bridge so the monk Shōdō could cross the Daiya River.

💡 Ticket Fact: It is about 28 meters long, and walking across costs ¥300. The bridge you see was rebuilt in 1904 after a flood destroyed it in 1902.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsShinkyō (Sacred Bridge) — NikkōNikko Futarasan Shrine · rebuilt 1904 · Nikkō, TochigiFutarasan Shrine bridgeImportant Cultural Property28 m long (FUN! JAPAN)1It was washed away in the Ashio Typhoon of 1902 and rebuilt in 1904.Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT)2Ordinary visitors could walk on it only from 1973.japan-guide.com1982JanPhotographed in winter20131 NovPhotographed in autumn201423 AprPhotographed in early spring201928 JunArticle on its history · FUN! JAPAN202623 JanVisitor page updated · japan-guide.com20261 AugFees updated in tourism listing · TochinaviMore photos1982 Winter, from the riverbank belowPhoto: wilford peloquin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)2014 Early spring, with the stone piers in viewPhoto: Guilhem Vellut / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)Read the full file →

📷 Photo: KimonBerlin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

💚 Yume no Tsuribashi — Kawanehon, Shizuoka, Japan 🇯🇵

A narrow walkway over water that color. The “Dream Suspension Bridge” in the Sumata Gorge is 90 meters long and 8 meters above the Ōma Dam Lake.

💡 Queue Fact: Only 10 people may be on it at once, and on busy days the crossing becomes one-way. At peak times the wait has reached about three hours.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsYume no Tsuribashi — KawanehonSumata Gorge · Kawanehon, Shizuoka90 m long8 m above the lake10 people at a time1A 90 m footbridge hanging 8 m above the emerald water of Oma Dam Lake in Sumata Gorge.Explore Shizuoka2Only ten people may be on the bridge at the same time.Walkerplus201812 AprA bridge to cross once in a lifetime · Walkerplus201810 JunPhoto over Oma Dam Lake202228 DecAutumn leaf viewing guide · Explore Shizuoka202418 OctPath reopens after a September rockfall · Tabi-mag202511 MarTravel guide · Japan Travel20267 JulVisitor listing updated · Good Luck TripRead the full file →

📷 Photo: Tetsuji Sakakibara / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

🚶 Tanize Suspension Bridge — Totsukawa, Nara, Japan 🇯🇵

A footpath on cables, stretched across a whole valley. The Tanize Suspension Bridge is 297.7 meters long and 54 meters above the Totsukawa River. It was built in 1954 to link two villages.

💡 Scooter Fact: Signs ask that no more than 20 people cross at a time. Visitors walk, but locals and postal staff are allowed to ride across on scooters and bicycles.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsTanize Suspension Bridge — TotsukawaTanize residents · 1954 · Totsukawa, Nara297.7 m long54 m above the riverMax 20 people at once1Villagers paid about 80% of the cost of the 1954 bridge, according to Wikipedia.Wikipedia2The Japan Society of Civil Engineers selected it as civil engineering heritage in 2021.Japan Society of Civil Engineers202024 NovPhoto from the bridge deck2021Selected as civil engineering heritage · JSCE202117 DecArticle on crossing rules · Japan Travel2023Official sign text prepared (FY2023) · MLIT202610 AprTourism listing updated · Good Luck TripRead the full file →

📷 Photo: Kohei Fujii / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

⛰️ Kokonoe Yume Ōtsurihashi — Kokonoe, Ōita, Japan 🇯🇵

For walkers only, and a long way down. The Kokonoe “Dream” Suspension Bridge is 390 meters long and 173 meters high, and it calls itself the highest pedestrian suspension bridge in Japan.

💡 Waterfall Fact: It opened on October 30, 2006. From the bridge you can see Shindō Falls, one of Japan’s 100 best waterfalls.

📂 Artwork File · Sourced factsKokonoe Yume Ōtsurihashi — KokonoeKokonoe Town · 2006 · Kokonoe, Ōita390 m long173 m highOpened 30 Oct 20061Kokonoe Town paid the ¥2 billion cost with no government subsidy.Kokonoe Yume Ōtsurihashi (official)2It reached 13 million visitors by 23 August 2024, according to its official site.Kokonoe Yume Ōtsurihashi (official)200630 OctOpened · official site200913 MayPhotographed from the deck20135 MayPhotographed across the valley20134 OctDistant view photographed202611 MarTourism article updated · Good Luck TripMore photos2013 The bridge across the valley, early autumnPhoto: Soramimi (そらみみ) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Read the full file →