An Early Concrete Lohse Arch
The Nakabashi Bridge (央橋) is a reinforced-concrete arch bridge of 1937 in Harutomocho to Machiyacho, Hitachiota City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on September 19, 2003 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a reinforced-concrete arch bridge 34 metres long and 6.0 metres wide; registration number 08-0105.
An Early Lohse Bridge
The Nakabashi Bridge carries the former National Route 349 over a river of the Kuji River system on a single reinforced-concrete arch with a span of 32.8 metres, the deck hanging below the arch (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Both the arch and the deck girder resist bending and are tied together by vertical members, making it an early example of a Lohse bridge (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Locally it is known as the Megane-bashi, or Spectacles Bridge.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes it as an early Lohse bridge and a rare survivor, especially north of the Kanto region, and registered it as a model of design.
What to Look For
Look for the arch rising above the roadway and the row of vertical members tying it to the deck (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
The bridge is owned by Hitachiota City (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official information on its use or on visiting was found.
Q&A
- When was the Nakabashi Bridge built?
- In 1937 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is the name read?
- Nakabashi.
- What is a Lohse bridge?
- An arch bridge in which both the arch and the deck resist bending, tied together by verticals.
- What is its nickname?
- Megane-bashi, the Spectacles Bridge.
- When was the Nakabashi Bridge registered?
- On September 19, 2003 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Nakabashi Bridge (央橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | Harutomocho to Machiyacho, Hitachiota City, Ibaraki Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2003/09/19 (Heisei 15) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Reinforced-concrete arch bridge, 34 m long, 6.0 m wide, span 32.8 m |
| Owner | Hitachiota City |
| Public Access | No official information on use or visiting |
References
- Nakabashi Bridge (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003500
Last verified: 2026.10.19