Hōrai Bridge
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = Hōrai Bridge
| native_name = 蓬莱橋
| native_name_lang = ja
| image = Horai Bridge, Shimada (2270487219).jpg
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| caption = Hōrai Bridge
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| crosses = Ōi River
| locale = Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan
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| length = {{convert|897.422|m|ft|0}}
| width = {{convert|2.7|m|ft|0}}
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| complete = {{End date and age|1879}}
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| toll = yes
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| coordinates = {{coord|34.821390|N|138.186213|E|display=inline, title}}
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The {{Nihongo|Hōrai Bridge|蓬莱橋|Hōrai-bashi}} is a wooden pedestrian bridge over the Ōi River located in the city of Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan. It was constructed in 1879 and rebuilt after a flood in the 1960s.{{Cite web|title=Longest wooden footbridge|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-wooden-footbridge/|website=Guinness World Records|accessdate=2024-07-26}} With a length of {{convert|897.422|m|ft}}, the bridge was registered in The Guinness Book of Records as the longest wooden walking bridge in the world in 1997.Learn the longest wooden footbridge in the world Hōrai Bridge is (In Japanese) {{Cite web|title="学ぶ 世界一長い木造歩道橋 蓬莱橋って"|date=2022-08-02|url=https://www.at-s.com/sp/news/shittoko/1102226.html|website=Anata no Shizuoka Shimbun|accessdate=2023-04-17}}
History
The Hōrai Bridge is on the Edo period route of the Tōkaidō, connecting Edo with Kyoto. The Tokugawa shogunate expressly forbid the construction of any bridge or ferry service over the Ōi River for defensive purposes, forcing travelers to wade across its shallows. However, whenever the river flooded due to strong or long rains, crossing the river was impossible.Geographic photos of this month "Hōrai Bridge" A bridge has supported Japanese modernization (In Japanese) {{Cite web|title="今月の地理写真 蓬莱橋 －近代日本を支えた橋－"|url=http://rissho-map.jp/month_view/%E8%93%AC%E8%8E%B1%E6%A9%8B-%EF%BC%8D%E8%BF%91%E4%BB%A3%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%82%92%E6%94%AF%E3%81%88%E3%81%9F%E6%A9%8B%EF%BC%8D|website=Rissho University|accessdate=2023-04-17}} During period of long rains, visitors were sometimes forced to stay at Shimada-juku or Kanaya-juku, sometimes for several days. Following the Meiji restoration, former samurai loyal to the Tokugawa clan settled in the Makinohara area and began to develop tea plantations."Hōrai Bridge" Official visitors guide by Shimada city Kanko Kyokai (In Japanese) {{Cite web|title="蓬莱橋 観光情報 一般社団法人島田市観光協会"|url=http://shimada-ta.jp/tourist/tourist_detail.php?id=2|website=Shimada City Tourist Association|accessdate=2023-04-17}} To facilitate crossing the river, this bridge was built in 1879. In 1965 its wooden pilings were replaced by concrete, but its wooden top was retained.
References
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External links
- {{commons category-inline|Horai Bridge (Shimada)}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090614070407/http://www.kandou10.jp/en/spot/spot354_c2_1.html The Hourai Bridge]
- [https://www.city.shimada.shizuoka.jp/kanko-docs/houraibasi.html Shimada City home page]
- [http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/j-no1/m_houraibashi.html Shizuoka Prefecture home page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116120702/http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/j-no1/m_houraibashi.html |date=2023-01-16 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horai Bridge}}
Category:Wooden bridges in Japan
Category:Bridges completed in 1879
Category:Toll bridges in Japan
Category:Transport buildings and structures in Shizuoka Prefecture
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