Kanmon Bridge, Suspension bridge in Shimonoseki, Japan
Kanmon Bridge is a steel suspension bridge linking Shimonoseki on Honshu with Moji-ku on Kyushu across a span of 1068 meters (3504 feet), running 141 meters (462 feet) above the water surface. The roadway hangs from two tall towers with thick cables strung between them, carrying the entire weight of the structure.
Work on this island connection started in 1964 and finished nine years later, creating the first direct road link between Honshu and Kyushu. Before the bridge opened, travelers and goods had to cross by ferry or through an older tunnel running beneath the strait.
The name Kanmon comes from combining parts of the strait's Japanese designation Kanmon-kaikyō. Travelers crossing today notice how the bridge joins two cities with different dialects and local traditions, visible in signage and place names on either side.
Drivers pay a toll when crossing, collected at designated booths on both ends of the structure. The crossing forms part of the Kyushu Expressway network and carries heavy traffic between the two islands throughout the day.
The clearance beneath the roadway deck was calculated to let large cargo vessels and tankers pass through the strait without restriction, accounting for roughly 700 passages each day. Viewing points along the shores allow visitors to watch the continuous ship traffic moving under the span.
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