A Little I-Beam Bridge at Mizunuma
The Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge (わたらせ渓谷鐵道水沼沢橋梁) is a steel single-span girder bridge built in 1912 at Mizunuma, Kurohone-cho, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on November 2, 2009 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a steel single-span girder bridge 5.8 metres long, with abutments, registration number 10-0291.
The Ashio Copper Railway
According to Watarase Keikoku Railway, the Ashio copper mine, bought by Furukawa Ichibei in 1877, grew to produce half of Japan's copper, more than horses and a horse tramway could carry, so a railway was built from Kiryu to Ashio. The Ashio Railway opened to Omama in 1911, reached Ashio in December 1912 and was completed to Ashio Honzan in 1914. Nationalised in 1918 as the Ashio Line, it has been run by Watarase Keikoku Railway since 1989.
The Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge crosses the Mizunumazawa stream about 1,700 metres south-west of the Ogurogawa Bridge (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Value as a Registered Cultural Property
The Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs records finely laid abutments in a near-English bond.
What to Look For
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes a 15-foot standard Type 875 I-beam with a stiffener joining the two girders at mid-span.
Watarase Keikoku Railway's pamphlet describes the Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge, north of Mizunuma Station, as a little bridge of 5.8 metres, with views of the Satsuki Bridge over the Watarase to the north and Ryuzenji temple across the river.
Visiting
The Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge comes into view about a minute after Mizunuma Station on a Mato-bound train, or about four and a half minutes after Hanawa Station on a Kiryu-bound train (Watarase Keikoku Railway). Watarase Keikoku Railway notes that all of its registered structures can be seen from the train.
Do not enter the tracks; view it from the train, the station or nearby roads. It is located at Mizunuma, Kurohone-cho, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture. Of the line's 38 registered structures, the 26 in Gunma and 11 in Tochigi are gathered on the group pages Watarase Keikoku Railway (Gunma Section) and Watarase Keikoku Railway (Tochigi Section).
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Gunma
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge
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Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1912 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is it built?
- A steel single-span girder bridge 5.8 metres long, with abutments (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What type of girder is it?
- A 15-foot standard Type 875 I-beam (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where can it be seen?
- The Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge comes into view about a minute after Mizunuma Station on a Mato-bound train, or about four and a half minutes after Hanawa Station on a Kiryu-bound train (Watarase Keikoku Railway).
- When was the Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge registered?
- On November 2, 2009.
Basic Information
| Name | Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge (わたらせ渓谷鐵道水沼沢橋梁) |
|---|---|
| Location | Mizunuma, Kurohone-cho, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2009/11/02 (Heisei 21) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Steel single-span girder bridge, length 5.8 metres, with abutments |
| Owner | Not listed in the national database (line operated by Watarase Keikoku Railway Co., Ltd.) |
| Public Access | Visible from the train |
References
- Watarase Keikoku Railway Mizunumazawa Bridge (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007863
- Registered Tangible Cultural Properties (Watarase Keikoku Railway, in Japanese)
- https://www.watetsu.com/sightseeing/culture.php
- Pamphlet: Railway Heritage from the Train Window, map notes (Watarase Keikoku Railway, in Japanese)
- https://www.watetsu.com/assets/pdf/sightseeing/culture_yukei_des02.pdf
- History (Watarase Keikoku Railway, in Japanese)
- https://www.watetsu.com/company/history.php
Last verified: 2026.10.12
