A Wartime Timber Truss over the Tracks
The Nagaragawa Railway Gujo-Hachiman Station Footbridge (長良川鉄道郡上八幡駅跨線橋) is a timber truss footbridge built with as little steel as possible of 1944 in Hachimancho Jonancho, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on August 4, 2015 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a timber structure 16 metres long and 2.0 metres wide; registration number 21-0242.
A Howe Truss in Timber
The footbridge of Gujo-Hachiman Station, north of the station building, links the up and down platforms and was built in 1944 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Its 11-metre span is a Howe truss with timber diagonals and steel-rod verticals, and the whole, stairs included, is carried on timber trusses clad in vertical boards (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The Agency notes that the way it keeps steel to a minimum clearly reflects its wartime date.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the Howe truss of timber diagonals and steel-rod verticals and the vertical-board cladding (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Nagaragawa Railway Co., Ltd. (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on visiting the station facilities was found. The four station structures are introduced together on the Gujo-Hachiman Station page.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1944 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is it built?
- As a Howe truss of timber and steel rods.
- Why timber?
- To use as little steel as possible in wartime.
- How big is it?
- 16 metres long and 2.0 metres wide.
- When was the Nagaragawa Railway Gujo-Hachiman Station Footbridge registered?
- On August 4, 2015 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Nagaragawa Railway Gujo-Hachiman Station Footbridge (長良川鉄道郡上八幡駅跨線橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 188-54 Hachimancho Jonancho, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2015/08/04 (Heisei 27) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, 16 m long, 2.0 m wide |
| Owner | Nagaragawa Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | No official information on access |
References
- Nagaragawa Railway Gujo-Hachiman Station Footbridge (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00010600
Last verified: 2026.10.25
