Sakai Suidou Ohashi Bridge

Sakaiminato Bridge (Sakai Suido Ohashi) spans the Sakai Channel, a first-class river flowing between Sakaiminato City (Tottori) and Matsue City’s Mihonoseki (Shimane), and is part of National Route 431. It is also nicknamed “Osakana Bridge,” and is indispensable for local residents of both Tottori and Shimane. The channel is about 600 meters wide; the bridge is about 709 meters long with about 40 meters of clearance below, and is said to rank as the 9th largest truss bridge in Japan. Its scale is underscored by the fact that vessels in the 10,000-ton class pass beneath it. Opened in 1972, it won an award in the same year in the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) Tanaka Prize category. Sidewalks run on both ends, so it can be crossed on foot; the view from the bridge is excellent, but traffic is heavy and the sidewalks are narrow, so caution is required. By public transport, the “Mihonoseki Community Bus” runs the “Mihonoseki–Sakaiminato Line,” allowing you to ride from JR Sakaiminato Station, cross the bridge, and reach the Shimane side. Access: from JR Sakaiminato Station, it’s about a 5-minute drive to the Tottori-side bridge approach.