A Wide, Flat Stone Arch in Innai
The Takaiwa Bridge (鷹岩橋) is a stone arch bridge of 1928 in Innaimachi Saito, Usa City, Oita Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on November 20, 2001 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-span stone arch bridge, 41 metres long and 4.7 metres wide; registration number 44-0073.
A Low Arch over the Era River
The Takaiwa Bridge crosses the Era River, a tributary of the Yakkan, and is owned by Usa City (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Voussoirs 65 centimetres deep form a segmental arch with a span of 27 metres and a rise of 8.8 metres, and the side walls are of dressed stone in regular courses.
The Agency notes that the bridge builds a flat, large arch out of stone, setting the look of a modern bridge into the natural landscape. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, 75 stone bridges survive in Innai, and Usa City studied how to inspect and repair them in the 2013 fiscal year.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency values the way it shapes a flat, large arch in stone, and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look at the flat segmental arch of 27 metres and the regular courses of dressed stone in the side walls (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is a road bridge owned by Usa City (Agency for Cultural Affairs). No official visiting information was found.
Q&A
- When was the Takaiwa Bridge built?
- In 1928 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What kind of bridge is it?
- A single-span stone arch bridge 41 metres long.
- How big is the arch?
- A segmental arch with a span of 27 metres and a rise of 8.8 metres.
- How many stone bridges are there in Innai?
- 75 survive, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
- When was the Takaiwa Bridge registered?
- On November 20, 2001 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Takaiwa Bridge (鷹岩橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | Innaimachi Saito, Usa City, Oita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2001/11/20 (Heisei 13) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-span stone arch, 41 m long, 4.7 m wide |
| Owner | Usa City |
| Public Access | No official visiting information |
References
- Takaiwa Bridge (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00002571
- Survey of the Innai stone bridges, Usa City (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)
- https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001035382.pdf
Last verified: 2026.10.22