A Taisho-Era Suspension Bridge over the Hida River
The Shirakawa Bridge (白川橋) is a stiffened steel suspension bridge completed in 1926 over the Hida River at Kawaki, Shirakawa Town, Kamo District, Gifu Prefecture, which in 2013 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a length of 115 metres with parapets, owned by Shirakawa Town.
The Agency values it as a rare surviving suspension bridge of the Taisho era.
Structure
According to the Agency, it is a three-span road bridge on the middle Hida River, with steel stiffening girders, steel towers and reinforced concrete piers; the main cables sag at a ratio of one in ten. Granite end posts survive on both banks.
The Agency's record gives the width as 4.7 metres in the structure field and 3.4 metres in its description.
What to Look For
The cables strung from steel towers and the granite end posts on each bank preserve the look of a Taisho suspension bridge.
From the riverbank, follow the gentle sag of the main cables across the three spans.
Visiting the Shirakawa Bridge
It is a road bridge and can be seen from the deck or the riverbank. Check current conditions with Shirakawa Town.
Enquiries go to Shirakawa Town.
Q&A
- When was the Shirakawa Bridge built?
- It was completed in 1926.
- What type of bridge is it?
- A three-span suspension bridge with steel stiffening girders.
- How long is it?
- 115 metres.
- What survives at the ends?
- Granite end posts on both banks.
- Where is it?
- Over the Hida River at Kawaki, Shirakawa Town, Gifu Prefecture.
Basic Information
| Name | Shirakawa Bridge (白川橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 500-7 Kawaki, Shirakawa Town, Kamo District, Gifu Prefecture, and other lots |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2013/3/29 (Heisei 25) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stiffened steel suspension bridge, 115 metres long, with parapets |
| Owner | Shirakawa Town |
| Public Access | Viewable as a road bridge |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Shirakawa Bridge (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00009459
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shirakawa Bridge (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/258572
Last verified: 2026.09.28