A Footbridge of Old Rails
The JR Zentsuji Station Footbridge (ＪＲ善通寺駅跨線橋) is a steel footbridge linking the north ends of Platforms 1 and 2 at JR Zentsuji Station, Bunkyo-cho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, built around 1922, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on June 25, 2002 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a steel structure 16 metres long and 3.1 metres wide, registration number 37-0093, owned by the Shikoku Railway Company.
Built from 1889 Rails
According to the Zentsuji City Tourism Association, the station opened in May 1889 on the Sanuki Railway, a line of about 15.5 kilometres linking Kotohira, Tadotsu and Marugame that carried so many pilgrims to Zentsuji and Kotohira-gu that it was called the pilgrimage railway. Nationalised in 1906, the station was rebuilt in autumn 1922 for army grand manoeuvres held in the area.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the girders of the JR Zentsuji Station Footbridge are made of rails rolled by Barrow Steel in 1889. The Zentsuji City Tourism Association also notes the imported rails in its frame and that its Taisho-era structure survives intact.
Value as a Registered Cultural Property
The JR Zentsuji Station Footbridge was registered as a structure contributing to the historic landscape of the country. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that the whole bridge, stairs included, is clad in vertical boarding, matching the platform canopies in one unified appearance.
What to Look For
The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes piers stiffened with diagonal members carrying five-panel through Pratt truss girders, with a roof above supported by gabled trusses.
Clad in vertical boards, the JR Zentsuji Station Footbridge blends with the timber platform canopies to form a Taisho-era station scene (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
Zentsuji Station is a working station; its building can be seen from outside by anyone, while the platform canopies and footbridge lie within the station and are best seen when travelling by train. The address is 1-7-1 Bunkyo-cho, Zentsuji City.
See the group page JR Zentsuji Station for all four structures.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagawa
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near JR Zentsuji Station Footbridge
- [ Naoshima Art Island & Kotohiragu Shrine Visit ]
Q&A
- When was it built?
- Around 1922, according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
- What is it made of?
- Steel, with girders built of 1889 Barrow Steel rails (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- How is it built?
- Braced piers carry five-panel through Pratt truss girders, with a roof on gabled trusses (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What does it look like?
- The whole bridge, stairs included, is clad in vertical boards to match the canopies (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the JR Zentsuji Station Footbridge registered?
- On June 25, 2002.
Basic Information
| Name | JR Zentsuji Station Footbridge (ＪＲ善通寺駅跨線橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-7-1 Bunkyo-cho, Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2002/06/25 (Heisei 14) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Steel, length 16 metres, width 3.1 metres |
| Owner | Shikoku Railway Company |
| Public Access | Within the station (view when travelling by train) |
References
- JR Zentsuji Station Footbridge (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002825
- Old Photographs of Zentsuji: Zentsuji Station, 1889 (Zentsuji City)
- https://www.city.zentsuji.kagawa.jp/soshiki/50/m22zentsujistation.html
- JR Zentsuji Station (Zentsuji City Tourism Association, Kukai Navi)
- https://www.kukainavi.com/spot/watch/entry-484.html
Last verified: 2026.10.11
