Kokonoe Yume Suspension Bridge

Little knownBarely documented in English. This is the kind of place the site exists for.

Recherche et rédaction Hinato

suspension bridgeKokonoegorgewaterfallsKuju

Photo: Raita Futo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · original

The bridge is 390 metres long and hangs 173 metres above the Naruko river gorge, which makes it the highest pedestrian suspension bridge in Japan.

Grating panels set into the deck let you see the drop under your feet, and the bridge moves in wind. Autumn is the peak, with the gorge below turning from late October, but the Kuju highlands mean it holds interest in every season: fresh green in May, deep cloud in summer, and rime on the surrounding hills in midwinter.

Informations essentielles

Horaires d'ouverture

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (January–June, November–December) | 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM (July–October) | Ticket sales stop 30 minutes before closing

Fermé: Open year-round; closed in high wind

Tarif d'entrée

¥500 junior high school students and over | ¥200 elementary school | Free below elementary school

Meilleure saison

Late October–mid November for autumn colour in the gorge | May for fresh green

Durée de visite

45 minutes – 1 hour

Comment s'y rendre

Informations d'accès

Tano 1208, Kokonoe Town, Kusu District, at about 777 m elevation. By car from Kokonoe Interchange; ticket sales stop 30 minutes before closing. Admission ¥500 for junior high school students and over, ¥200 for elementary school, free below that. Free parking on the Nakamura side for 229 cars and on the Kitagata side for 46.

Guide d'initié

**Cross and come back, or use both car parks.** The bridge is a there-and-back walk of about 20 minutes; the two ends have separate car parks and different approach views, and the Kitagata side is much quieter. **Late October to mid November for the gorge.** The valley below turns and the falls are framed by it. Weekends in that window queue for the car park. **It moves.** Wind across the gorge sets the deck swaying and the grating panels show the drop. Vertigo is a real consideration here in a way it is not on most Japanese suspension bridges. **Closed in high wind.** The operator shuts the bridge when it is unsafe and the weather at 777 m changes fast. Worth a phone call before a long drive. **Kuju is the reason to stay.** Tadewara marsh, the Kuju range trailheads and several hot spring villages are within 30 minutes, and the bridge alone does not justify the drive.

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