Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, Suspension bridge connecting Kobe to Awaji Island in Japan.
This steel suspension bridge spans 3,911 meters across the Akashi Strait, featuring a central span of 1,991 meters and towers rising 282.8 meters above sea level.
Construction began in September 1996 and was completed in April 1998, after decades of planning following fatal ferry disasters in 1955 that claimed 168 lives.
The structure received the Tanaka Prize from the Japan Society of Civil Engineers and is listed among 100 bridges in Japan recognized for engineering significance.
The bridge carries six lanes of traffic between Tarumi-ku and Awaji, operated by the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Authority, with observation points available at Maiko Marine Promenade.
During the 1995 Kobe earthquake, the bridge's central span stretched by one meter, extending its length from the originally planned dimensions while remaining structurally sound.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
