A 1937 Steel Arch over Lake Shinryu
The Sakurahashi Bridge (桜橋, Sakurahashi) is a steel arch road bridge completed in 1937 over Lake Shinryu in the Taishakukyo gorge at Nagano, Jinsekikogen Town, Jinseki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, which in 2011 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a length of 70 metres and a width of 4.6 metres, with abutments. It belongs to Hiroshima Prefecture and was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
The Agency describes a modern bridge of light design, built as part of the Taishakukyo sightseeing road.
Structure
According to the Agency, the Sakurahashi Bridge is a half-through steel road bridge, with the deck passing at mid-height through the arch.
The deck is hung by suspenders from a two-hinged arch built with braced ribs. A braced-rib arch links upper and lower chords with diagonals like a truss, carrying large loads with light members.
End posts fitted with lamp standards stand at the four corners of the bridge.
What to Look For
The arch rising from the lake with the level deck passing through its middle gives the bridge its character. View the slender members the Agency calls light from the lakeshore.
On the bridge, look at the lamp-topped end posts at the four corners, a detail from its days as part of the sightseeing road.
Visiting the Sakurahashi Bridge
The Sakurahashi Bridge is still a road bridge and can be crossed on foot. Watch for vehicles.
Enquiries go to Jinsekikogen Town.
Q&A
- When was the Sakurahashi Bridge built?
- It was completed in 1937.
- How is 桜橋 read?
- Sakurahashi.
- How big is the Sakurahashi Bridge?
- 70 metres long and 4.6 metres wide.
- What kind of bridge is the Sakurahashi Bridge?
- A half-through steel arch bridge whose deck hangs from a two-hinged braced-rib arch.
- Where is the Sakurahashi Bridge?
- Over Lake Shinryu in the Taishakukyo gorge, Jinsekikogen Town, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Basic Information
| Name | Sakurahashi Bridge (桜橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 5056-2 Nagano, Jinsekikogen Town, Jinseki District, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2011/1/26 (Heisei 23) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Steel arch bridge, 70 metres long, 4.6 metres wide, with abutments |
| Owner | Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Public Access | Open as a road bridge |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Sakurahashi Bridge (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00008580
- Cultural Heritage Online: Sakurahashi Bridge (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/210206
Last verified: 2026.09.28