Registered Tangible Cultural Properties · Kumamoto

Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge

Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge: The Line's Longest, 75 Metres

A six-span steel bridge of 1923 over the Menda River, at 75 metres the line's longest registered bridge, combining 30-foot and 40-foot girders of design No. 540.

Designation Registered Tangible Cultural Properties

Location Kumamoto

The Longest Registered Bridge on the Line

The Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge (くま川鉄道免田川橋梁, Mendagawa Kyōryō) is a steel railway bridge spanning Menda-nishi and Menda-higashi in Asagiri Town, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture, completed in 1923 and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 19 December 2014. The single-track bridge crosses the Menda River in six steel spans; at 75 metres it is the longest of the Kumagawa Railway's registered bridges. It was repaired in 1957 and 1996.

It stands about 1 kilometre east of the Gakeshita Bridge, close to the old town centre of Menda, where Asagiri Station (Menda Station when the line opened) is located.

Thirty-Foot and Forty-Foot Girders

The six girders of the Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge are two 30-foot and four 40-foot plate girders, all to circular No. 540. Different lengths of one standard design were combined to fit the width of the river, with the longer spans over the main channel and the shorter ones near the banks.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs describes the straight line of the bridge against the gentle hills as a modern landscape in its own right, and the bridge was registered as a structure that contributes to the historic landscape of the country.

The company's history records that a level crossing was added in 1992 when a road was built along the river embankment, and that a tilting incident at the Menda River occurred in July 1996. Whether the repairs of 1996 were connected to that incident cannot be confirmed from the sources available.

Counting the Spans

The thing to look for is the difference in girder length. Side by side, the 30-foot and 40-foot girders show up as a change in pier spacing. Step back and take in the whole bridge at a slight angle, and the shift reads as a rhythm.

Behind it the hills around the Kuma Basin roll gently on. The contrast between straight girders and soft ridgelines is what gives the bridge its setting.

Visiting

The Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge is in daily service, and the track is off limits. View it from nearby roads and the embankment, free of charge. The nearest station, Asagiri, has a ticket counter, flush toilets and parking; the adult fare from Hitoyoshi Onsen is 430 yen.

Watch the water level if you go down towards the river, and stay out of fields and private land. This is a bridge for watching a train cross from a distance.

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

Q&A

QWhere is the Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge and what is the nearest station?: AIt spans Menda-nishi and Menda-higashi in Asagiri Town, close to the old centre of Menda and to Asagiri Station.

QHow long is the Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge?: AIt is a six-span single-track steel girder bridge 75 metres long, the longest of the Kumagawa Railway's registered bridges.

QHow is the Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge built?: AIt combines two 30-foot and four 40-foot plate girders, all built to circular No. 540.

QHas the Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa Bridge been altered?: AThe national database records repairs in 1957 and 1996.

QCan I take photographs of the Kumagawa Railway Mendagawa 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 Mendagawa Bridge (くま川鉄道免田川橋梁)
Location	Menda-nishi to Menda-higashi, Asagiri Town, Kuma District, Kumamoto Prefecture
Designation	Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure), registration No. 43-0141
Year Designated	Registered 2014/12/19 (Heisei 26)
Quantity	1 structure
Dimensions	Steel 6-span girder bridge, 75 metres long, with abutments, piers and wing walls
Owner	Kumagawa Railway Co., Ltd.
Public Access	In railway service; no access to the track, exterior visible from nearby roads