SagaTravel

One of Japan's Oldest Movable Bridges with Girders That Rise to the Sky

About this spot

A brilliant red iron bridge near the mouth of the Chikugo River, connecting Saga City Moroto-cho to Okawa City in Fukuoka Prefecture. Once a railway bridge of the former Japanese National Railway Saga Line, it was equipped with a mechanism allowing the central girders to rise and lower to a height of 23 meters to permit large ships to pass—making it one of Japan's oldest existing rising-span movable bridges. After the railway closed, it was carefully preserved as a pedestrian path and designated as a nationally important cultural property. Walking the approximately 500-meter bridge on foot, you'll witness the Chikugo River flowing gently below, while the plains of Saga and Fukuoka stretch out before you. If you witness the bridge girders slowly rising and lowering, your imagination will expand to the era when trains ran here.

Tips

The hours for pedestrian access and days of closure are fixed, so confirm in advance before visiting for certainty. The bridge is exposed to the elements and often windy, so secure your hat to prevent it from blowing away. Walking to the opposite bank on the Okawa side and returning makes for a pleasant round-trip walk of about 1 km.