Nagahama Bridge, Movable bridge in Ozu City, Japan.
Nagahama Bridge is a movable bridge spanning the Hijikawa River mouth in Ozu, with a distinctive red-painted steel structure. The span is approximately 230 meters long and features a central section that lifts to allow boats to pass underneath.
The bridge was completed in 1935 and remains the oldest operational movable road bridge still in use in Japan. It was built to accommodate vessel traffic on the river while maintaining a road crossing above it.
The bridge represents an important part of how Ozu adapted to living with both river traffic and road travel, showing practical thinking in urban design. People in the area view it as a symbol of engineering that serves the everyday needs of the community.
The bridge is easily accessible on foot or by vehicle from central Ozu, with a free parking area nearby for visitors. Check the lifting schedule in advance, as the bridge only operates its mechanism during specific times on weekends.
The lifting mechanism uses a counterweight of roughly 80 tons to raise a center section of about 18 meters. This engineering approach allows the bridge to support heavy traffic while creating passage space for boats below.
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