Akashi Kaikyō Bridge

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is a 3,911-meter-long suspension bridge connecting Kobe City in Hyogo Prefecture with Awaji Island. It once boasted the world’s longest central span—1,991 meters—until 2022, and remains one of Japan’s most iconic massive bridge structures. Opened in 1998, it serves as an important part of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway, which connects Honshu and Shikoku, while also attracting many visitors as a popular tourist destination.

The bridge is affectionately known as the “Pearl Bridge,” and its nighttime illumination is one of its greatest attractions. There are 28 basic color patterns, with special displays presented according to the season and various events. Its lights shine like a string of pearls, creating a fantastical and romantic view that is quite different from the scenery during the day.

Structurally, the bridge employs a “three-span, two-hinged stiffening-truss suspension bridge” design. It was engineered to withstand powerful winds of up to 80 meters per second as well as major earthquakes. The main towers rise approximately 300 meters above sea level—298 meters, to be precise—and the cables supporting the bridge contain about 36,800 high-strength wires. The bridge was constructed using cutting-edge technology of the time, along with the development of new technologies, including the construction of enormous foundations on the seabed at a maximum depth of approximately 60 meters. It is also well known that ground movement caused by the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake lengthened the bridge by about one meter compared with the original plan.

The Akashi Strait is a challenging natural environment, measuring approximately four kilometers across, reaching a maximum depth of about 110 meters, and experiencing currents of up to 4.5 meters per second. It is also an international shipping route through which more than 1,400 vessels pass each day. The high level of engineering expertise required to construct the bridge under such conditions has earned it considerable acclaim.

The area also offers a wide range of tourist attractions. On the Kobe side, Maiko Park is home to the Maiko Marine Promenade. This 317-meter-long circular walkway is located approximately 47 meters above the sea and offers visitors the thrilling experience of looking straight down at the water through glass floors. At the adjoining café and exhibition facilities, visitors can also learn about the bridge’s structure and engineering.

In addition, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Bridge World, a guided tour that includes access to the top of the bridge towers, allows visitors to walk along maintenance passages normally off-limits to the public and climb to the top of a main tower. From approximately 300 meters above sea level, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the Akashi Strait, passing ships, and distant cityscapes, making it a rare opportunity to experience the immense scale of the bridge firsthand.

The surrounding area is equipped with numerous tourist facilities, including the Bridge Exhibition Center, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Awaji Service Area, and Roadside Station Awaji, all of which can be enjoyed together with a visit to the bridge. Awaji Service Area is especially popular as a spectacular viewpoint offering a panoramic view of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge.

In this way, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is not only a massive structure built with world-class engineering expertise, but also one of Japan’s most iconic landmarks, offering beautiful scenery and a wide variety of memorable tourist experiences.