Chikugo River Lift bridge

There is a world-famous movable steel bridge on the Chikugo River in Kyushu. It is the Chikugo River Bridge in Morotomi-cho, Saga City.

The bridge is one of the world’s top-class elevating movable steel bridges over the Chikugo River, Kyushu’s largest river. 507 meters long and 30 meters high, the central section between two steel towers rises up to 23 meters. This feature allows large ships to pass through freely.

This movable railroad bridge was once used on the Japan National Railways (JNR) Saga Line, connecting Okawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture, to Morotomi-cho, Saga City, Saga Prefecture. It was preserved after the line was closed and is now used as a pedestrian bridge. The bridge is designated as an Important Cultural Property and a Mechanical Heritage Site as the former Chikugo River Bridge.

Outline

The Chikugo River Bridge was built as part of the Saga Line of the Ministry of Railways, completed in 1935, and opened to traffic on May 25 of the same year. In order to harmonize with boat traffic, the bridge has movable sections, and part of the steel bridge is a vertical lift bridge.

Movable bridges of this type include swing bridges and drawbridges (drawbridges), but the Chikugo River Bridge is one of the oldest drawbridges in Japan. The total length of the bridge is 507.2 meters, and the length of the movable portion is 24.2 meters, with a 23-meter difference in elevation. At the time of its completion, the bridge was called “the best movable steel bridge in the East.

This bridge was a bold and innovative idea to solve the major problems of running trains over a vast river that was once frequented by large ships and where the difference in tides was extreme.

However, the construction was extremely difficult because the Ariake Sea has a tidal range of up to 6 meters, and the surface of the Chikugo River is constantly changing. In addition, a thick 16-meter layer of clay on the river bottom also hindered construction. However, after overcoming numerous difficulties, on May 25, 1935, the bridge was completed as the largest elevated railroad bridge in the East on the former Japanese National Railways’ Saga Line, creating a sensation. Since then, the bridge has played an active role in supporting people’s lives as a key point of transportation by both land and water.

However, on March 27, 1987, the Saga Line was discontinued and the bridge’s elevating section was no longer in use.

On April 29, 1996, the Chikugo River Bridge was restored as a promenade. The name of the bridge is “Tower Bridge Walkway,” and the ascending section descends eight times a day, connecting Morotomi-cho, Saga City, and Okawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture. The bridge is used as a peaceful walkway during the daytime, and at night the illuminated bridge floats on the water, providing a romantic moment for lovers.

The silhouette of the bridge illuminated by the beautiful setting sun is also not to be missed. Near the bridge, there is a local specialty store, “Hashi no Eki Dorompa,” which sells fresh local seafood and vegetables, attracting many people.