A 1929 Truss Footbridge at Shimo-Imaichi
The Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge (東武鉄道下今市駅旧跨線橋) is a steel-framed station footbridge of 1929 in the grounds of Shimo-Imaichi Station in Imaichi, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on October 27, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a steel-framed structure with a slate roof and a building area of 145 square metres; registration number 09-237.
Built with the Nikko Line Extension
The Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge was built when the Tobu Nikko Line was extended from Shin-Kanuma to Shimo-Imaichi (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Tobu Railway's station guide gives July 7, 1929 as the opening date of Shimo-Imaichi Station.
It links the western ends of the platforms. The frame is a steel through Pratt truss, with the walkway carried along the bottom of the trusses, and the gabled roof is covered in slate (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Why It Was Registered
The Agency registered the Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge under the criterion of contributing to the historic landscape of the country, as a structure that keeps the look of the early Showa years when the railway first reached this town. 6 other structures on the Kinugawa Line, station platforms and a bridge, were registered on the same day.
What to Look For
Tobu Railway has refitted the Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge as the Former Footbridge Retro Gallery. The entrance recreates an old ticket gate, and inside are Showa-era posters and the registration plaques of the Kinugawa Line structures (Tobu Railway).
From outside, look at the diagonal members along the side of the truss and the outline of the gabled roof above them. Shimo-Imaichi Station was restyled in a Showa manner for the start of the SL Taiju steam service in 2017, and the footbridge is part of that scene (Tobu Railway).
Visiting
The Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge stands inside Shimo-Imaichi Station, and Tobu Railway lists it among the sights of the station. The official pages do not state gallery hours or say if a ticket is needed, so check with Shimo-Imaichi Station (tel. 0288-21-0201) before visiting.
No guidance on photography was found. The bridge is beside working platforms, so follow staff instructions. Directions and the other registered structures along the line are gathered on the Tobu Railway Kinugawa Line page.
Q&A
- When was the Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge built?
- In 1929, when the Tobu Nikko Line was extended from Shin-Kanuma to Shimo-Imaichi (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Where is the Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge?
- Inside Tobu Shimo-Imaichi Station at 1110 Imaichi, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, linking the western ends of the platforms (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can I go inside the Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge?
- Tobu Railway has fitted it out as the Former Footbridge Retro Gallery. Opening hours and entry conditions are not stated on the official pages, so ask at Shimo-Imaichi Station.
- How is the Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge constructed?
- It is a steel through Pratt truss footbridge under a gabled slate roof, with a building area of 145 square metres (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- When was the Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge registered?
- On October 27, 2017 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge (東武鉄道下今市駅旧跨線橋) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1110 Imaichi, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2017/10/27 (Heisei 29) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Steel frame, slate roof, building area 145 m² |
| Owner | Tobu Railway Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Refitted as the Former Footbridge Retro Gallery (check access conditions with the station) |
References
- Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00011865
- Tobu Railway Shimo-Imaichi Station Former Footbridge (Cultural Heritage Online, Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/247421
- Shimo-Imaichi Station in Showa retro style (Tobu Railway SL Taiju, Japanese)
- https://www.tobu.co.jp/sl/more/shimoimaichi-eki/
- Shimo-Imaichi Station (Tobu Railway, Japanese)
- https://www.tobu.co.jp/railway/guide/station/info/3211.html
- Photo spots (Tobu Railway SL Taiju, Japanese)
- https://www.tobu.co.jp/sl/nikko/spot/
Last verified: 2026.11.11
