Four Spans with a Maker's Plate
The Kominato Railway Second Yorogawa Bridge (小湊鉄道第二養老川橋梁) is a four-span steel girder bridge built around 1925 over the Yoro River between the Sakore and Ushiku districts of Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on May 2, 2017.
About 3 kilometers southeast of Umatate, it is the second place where the line crosses the Yoro River. Kazusa Ushiku Station lies about 1 kilometer to the east.
Oval Piers and Line Bearings
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the Kominato Railway Second Yorogawa Bridge as a single-track, four-span steel girder bridge 61 meters long, with abutments and piers; the longest span is 19 meters.
The girders carry builder's plates from the Yokogawa Bridge Works dated 1924, the year before the line opened. Steel fabricated that year is still carrying trains.
The girders rest on line bearings, and the concrete piers are oval in plan, rounded to let the current slip past. The agency describes the bridge as a modern structure that has underpinned local transport.
Seeing It
The Kominato Railway Second Yorogawa Bridge is on a working line, so view it from the riverbank or nearby roads. The rounded piers read best from an angle along the bank.
The builder's plates are small and hard to read from outside the track. Keep off the riverbed when water is high. The nearest station is Kazusa Ushiku. As of September 25, 2026, trains between Goi and Kazusa Ushiku were running normally.
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Q&A
- When was the Kominato Railway Second Yorogawa Bridge built?
- Around 1925; the builder's plates on the girders are dated 1924.
- How long is the Second Yorogawa Bridge?
- The agency lists 61 meters over four spans, the longest 19 meters. The railway company gives 59.58 meters.
- Who made the girders of the Kominato Railway Second Yorogawa Bridge?
- The Yokogawa Bridge Works, according to the plates attached to them.
- What shape are the piers?
- They are concrete and oval in plan.
- Which station is nearest to the Second Yorogawa Bridge?
- Kazusa Ushiku, about 1 kilometer east of the bridge.
Basic Information
| Name | Kominato Railway Second Yorogawa Bridge (小湊鉄道第二養老川橋梁) |
|---|---|
| Location | 933-3 Ageogu, Sakore to 421-2 Tsurumai, Ushiku, Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/5/2 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Four-span steel girder bridge, 61 meters long (longest span 19 meters), with abutments and piers |
| Owner | Kominato Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Working line; view from outside the track only |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 小湊鉄道第二養老川橋梁
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011466
- Cultural Heritage Online: 小湊鉄道第二養老川橋梁
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/274752
- Kominato Railway: 22 facilities registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.kominato.co.jp/corporate/topics/heritage/index.html
Last verified: 2026.10.01
