Registered Tangible Cultural Properties · Kumamoto

Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge

Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge: A 1924 Girder Set at an Angle

A 14-metre steel bridge of 1924 in Taragi on one 40-foot girder, its two main girders staggered to cross an irrigation channel at an angle, with a fan wing wall.

Designation Registered Tangible Cultural Properties

Location Kumamoto

A Forty-Foot Girder at an Angle

The Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge (くま川鉄道百太郎橋梁, Hyakutarō Kyōryō) is a steel railway bridge spanning Shimoakasaka and Kurohiji in Taragi Town, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture, completed in 1924 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 19 December 2014. The single-track, single-span bridge is 14 metres long and stands about 500 metres east of Taragi-Shorenji (formerly Higashi-Taragi) Station.

Its girder is a single 40-foot plate girder, long for a one-span bridge on this line. An irrigation channel runs beneath.

Two Girders Out of Step

The feature that defines the Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge is the arrangement of its main girders. Because the track crosses the channel at an angle, the two girders are staggered along the line and then tied together, so that each can bear on an abutment set square to the slanting banks.

The abutments are concrete block, and on the east side a wing wall of stone is laid in a precise fan, its joints radiating outwards, one of the most carefully worked wing walls on the line. The bridge was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country.

What to Look For

There are two things to find. First the stagger: seen at an angle, the ends of the two girders do not line up. Second the east wing wall, where the fan of stone joints is best appreciated face on.

From the train, crossing 14 metres of girder, you would never notice that offset. This is a bridge that makes sense only from outside.

Visiting

The Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge is in daily service, and the track is off limits. View it from nearby roads and the channel side, free of charge. The nearest station is Taragi-Shorenji, about 500 metres to the west; the adult fare from Hitoyoshi Onsen is 650 yen.

Stay out of the irrigation channel, the fields and private land.

📍 Plan Your Visit to Kumamoto: Find tours, activities & transport passes near Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge; [ Kumamoto Castle & Mt. Aso Volcano Tours ]

Q&A

QWhere is the Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge and what is the nearest station?: AIt spans Shimoakasaka and Kurohiji in Taragi Town, about 500 metres east of Taragi-Shorenji (formerly Higashi-Taragi) Station.

QWhat kind of bridge is the Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge?: AA single-track steel bridge of 1924, 14 metres long, carried on a single 40-foot plate girder.

QWhat should I look for at the Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge?: AThe two main girders staggered to cross the irrigation channel at an angle, and the fan-shaped stone wing wall on the east side.

QCan visitors see the Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge?: AYes, from nearby roads, free of charge. The track is closed to the public.

QCan I take photographs of the Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge?: ANo specific restriction on photography from public roads and other permitted places has been announced. Do not enter the track, fields or private land. Commercial filming and press coverage go through the Kumagawa Railway's filming and coverage request page.

Basic Information

Name	Kumagawa Railway Hyakutaro Bridge (くま川鉄道百太郎橋梁)
Location	Shimoakasaka, Taragi to Yamashita, Kurohiji, Taragi Town, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture
Designation	Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration No. 43-0146
Year Designated	Registered 2014/12/19 (Heisei 26)
Quantity	1 structure
Dimensions	Steel single-span girder bridge, 14 metres long, with abutments and wing walls
Owner	Kumagawa Railway Co., Ltd.
Public Access	In railway service; no access to the track, exterior visible from nearby roads