Red Girders on Tall Piers
The Kominato Railway Fourth Yorogawa Bridge (小湊鉄道第四養老川橋梁) is a four-span steel girder bridge of around 1928 over the Yoro River between the Okubo and Kunimoto districts of Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on May 2, 2017.
About 1.3 kilometers southeast of the Okubo Tunnel, the Kominato Railway Fourth Yorogawa Bridge is the line's farthest-upstream crossing of the winding Yoro River.
Round Piers and a 1927 Maker's Plate
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records the bridge as four steel girder spans 78 meters long, with abutments and piers; the railway company gives 78.46 meters.
The girders carry builder's plates from the Yokogawa Bridge Works dated 1927, three years later than those on the Second Yorogawa Bridge from the same works.
The piers are tall and circular in section. The agency notes how they and the red girders make a striking picture above the deep gorge.
Seeing It
The Kominato Railway Fourth Yorogawa Bridge is on a working line, so view it from a safe spot outside the track. The height of the round piers and the depth of the valley show best from below, looking up at the girders side-on.
Footing on the gorge slopes and riverbed is poor; keep away when the water is high. Since Typhoon No. 25 struck in September 2026, the line between Kazusa Ushiku and Kazusa-Nakano has been suspended until further notice, with no replacement buses (company statement of September 24, 2026), so for now it cannot be reached by train.
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Q&A
- When was the Kominato Railway Fourth Yorogawa Bridge built?
- Around 1928; its builder's plates are dated 1927.
- How long is the Fourth Yorogawa Bridge?
- The agency lists 78 meters over four spans; the railway company gives 78.46 meters.
- What makes the Kominato Railway Fourth Yorogawa Bridge striking?
- Its tall circular piers and red girders above a deep gorge.
- Who made the girders?
- The Yokogawa Bridge Works, according to the plates attached to them.
- Can I see the bridge from a train now?
- Not at present. The line beyond Kazusa Ushiku has been suspended since typhoon damage in September 2026.
Basic Information
| Name | Kominato Railway Fourth Yorogawa Bridge (小湊鉄道第四養老川橋梁) |
|---|---|
| Location | 583-5 Takase, Okubo to 16-4 Semuka, Kunimoto, 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, 78 meters long, with abutments and piers |
| Owner | Kominato Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Working line; view from outside the track only (section suspended after 2026 typhoon damage) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 小湊鉄道第四養老川橋梁
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011477
- Cultural Heritage Online: 小湊鉄道第四養老川橋梁
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/289363
- Kominato Railway: 22 facilities registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Japanese)
- https://www.kominato.co.jp/corporate/topics/heritage/index.html
- Kominato Railway: Damage from Typhoon No. 25 and recovery outlook, September 24, 2026 (Japanese)
- https://www.kominato.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/30216b45daba750194c363de3f54800f.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.01
