“Roller coaster for cars,” they call it! Let’s talk about Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge. This bridge may not actually be a roller coaster, but it certainly grabs attention.
Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge is a large, steeply sloped bridge. It spans Lake Nakaumi. The bridge connects Matsue in Shimane Prefecture and Sakaiminato in Tottori Prefecture.
The Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge became famous because of a car commercial. Its steep grade made it an instant hit. At its highest point, the Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge stands approximately 45 meters tall. It is Japan’s largest girder bridge made of concrete.
From the bridge’s center, you can see Mount Daisen in the distance. Daikon Island rises out of Lake Nakaumi. Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge is a popular cycling route too.
If you ascend Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge from the Tottori Prefecture side, a superb view awaits. As you cross the prefectural boundary and begin to descend, Lake Nakaumi appears before you.
The Eshima Ohashi Bridge was built between 1997 and 2004. It is the largest rigid-frame bridge in Japan. It is also the third largest in the world.
Images of Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge often circulate online. They highlight its seemingly steep nature when photographed from afar using a telephoto lens. However, the bridge has a less pronounced gradient. It’s 6.1% on the Shimane side. The Tottori side has a 5.1% gradient.
Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge replaced a previous drawbridge. The old drawbridge caused traffic obstructions when ships passed. This could take about 7 to 8 minutes. Only vehicles under 14 tons could use it. Only 4,000 vehicles could cross per day.
The optical illusion that makes Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge appear so steep comes from a distance. Photographers use a telephoto lens. The Matsue side is visible from Daikon Island without obstructions. The farther away the photographer stands, the steeper the bridge looks.
The Hirakata-Ohashi Bridge has improved travel. It connects two cities. It makes it much more convenient for people to travel between them. One could say that it has bridged the gap between the Sanin region and the rest of Japan.