A Meiji Stone Double-Arch Bridge in Iriki
The Shin-Ohashi Bridge (新大橋) is a stone double-arch road bridge completed in 1909 over the Ushirokawauchi River in Iriki, Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture, which in 2004 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a stone two-arch bridge 24 metres long and 3.0 metres wide, owned by Satsumasendai City and registered for its contribution to the historic landscape.
The Agency describes it as a road bridge over the Ushirokawauchi River, which flows east-west through the centre of the town.
Structure
According to the Agency, it is 24 metres long and 3 metres wide, with two stone arches each spanning 11 metres at a span-to-rise ratio of 2.2.
The spandrel walls above the arches are built of stone laid in level courses.
What to Look For
The Agency notes that it draws on stone-building skills accumulated since the Edo period, while its level profile, designed for road traffic, expresses a modern character.
Seen from the riverbank, the two arches and the flat line of the roadway stand out, unlike the humped stone bridges typical of the Edo period.
Visiting the Shin-Ohashi Bridge
The Shin-Ohashi Bridge is still a road bridge and can be crossed. Watch for traffic.
Enquiries go to Satsumasendai City.
Q&A
- When was the Shin-Ohashi Bridge built?
- It was completed in 1909.
- How big is the Shin-Ohashi Bridge?
- 24 metres long and 3 metres wide, with two arches each spanning 11 metres.
- What is special about the Shin-Ohashi Bridge?
- A stone double-arch bridge with a level roadway, designed for modern road traffic.
- How is 新大橋 read?
- Shin-Ohashi.
- Where is the Shin-Ohashi Bridge?
- Over the Ushirokawauchi River in Iriki, Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture.
Basic Information
| Name | Shin-Ohashi Bridge (新大橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | Gamohara, Uranomyo, Iriki-cho, Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2004/11/8 (Heisei 16) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Stone double-arch bridge, 24 metres long, 3.0 metres wide |
| Owner | Satsumasendai City |
| Public Access | Open as a road bridge |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Shin-Ohashi Bridge (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00004481
- Cultural Heritage Online: Shin-Ohashi Bridge (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/141751
Last verified: 2026.09.28