Eshima Ohashi Bridge: Japan's Roller Coaster Road Over Lake Nakaumi
Located in Tottori Prefecture in Western Japan, the Eshima Ohashi Bridge looks more like a roller coaster than a road. It is essentially a highway to outer space, a shortcut to inducing nausea, making driving over this thing one seriously thrilling car ride. It's one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.
Where is the roller coaster bridge in Japan?
Located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu, in the western part of Japan, the bridge connects Sakaiminato and Yatsukacho Eshima, spanning a mile across Lake Nakaumi. It was built to allow the passage of large cargo ships towards the open sea.
Is the Eshima Ohashi bridge scary?
The bridge has an insanely steep and terrifying slope that’s tall enough to let ships pass underneath it with ease. It is a stretch of road that has freaked out even the most confident drivers, as it looks like an insane roller coaster. Cars gradually ascend, making it less scary for drivers than the bridge appears when photos are taken from a straight-on angle. It's been nicknamed the Rollercoaster Bridge because of its super steep slope and the appearance of being a bridge to the sky. If you look straight onto the bridge, the ridiculously steep incline makes it look more like a roller coaster than a road for cars to drive on.
When was the Eshima Ohashi bridge built?
The bridge was constructed from 1997 to 2004. Architects made sure ships could still pass under it, which explains why it’s so tall. It was introduced in a TV commercial for the popular car brand Daihatsu.
Why is the Eshima Ohashi bridge so steep?
The bridge is a two-lane concrete road. It rises so sharply it gives the bravest drivers the fear, featuring a ridiculously steep slope that allows ships to pass underneath it. The concrete road spans a mile and sends drivers straight into the sky and suddenly drops off. It’s pretty steep, with a gradient of 5.1 percent on the Tottori Prefecture side and 6.1 percent on the Shimane Prefecture side. It’s said to be the steepest bridge in the world.
How long is Eshima Ohashi bridge?
The bridge is 1.7 km (1.1 mi) long with a width of 11.3 meters. It’s 44.7 meters tall, and its longest span is 250 meters. It’s the third-largest bridge of its type in the world and the largest rigid frame bridge in Japan.
Pic: mstk east - eshima oohashi 04, CC BY 2.0, ttps://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37893337