Hōrai Bridge
蓬萊橋
A wooden footbridge 897.4 meters long across the Ōigawa, certified by Guinness as the world's longest wooden pedestrian bridge.
Hōrai Bridge is located in Shimada City. Built in 1879 to help samurai travel to and from the tea gardens on the Makinohara Plateau, it is 897.4 meters long. In 1997 it was certified by Guinness World Records as the 'world's longest wooden walking bridge.' Its name is a wordplay on the Japanese phrase for 'long life,' so it is nicknamed the 'Nagai-ki (Long Life) Bridge,' and it is a place to pray for longevity. The deck is about 2.4 meters wide with low handrails. On the far side, the 'Seven Lucky Gods Path' climbs to a viewing platform overlooking the tea gardens. The toll to cross is about 100 yen. The bridge is often used as a location for period dramas and is a popular spot for filming. It is about a 20-minute walk from JR Shimada Station and can be combined with a visit to Kanaya Station on the Ōigawa Railway.
Opening hours
08:30–17:00 (until 16:30 in winter; ticketed hours)
Nearby sights
- Ōigawa Railway Steam Locomotive
- Mariko-juku Chōjiya
- Aoba Oden Street
- Shizuoka Sengen Shrine
- Sunpu Castle Park
- Toro Ruins
- Nihondaira Zoo
- Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art