Eshima Ohashi Bridge (江島大橋) is a bridge that became famous due to some images and videos circulating on the internet. This bridge spans Lake Nakaumi, connecting the cities of Matsue in Shimane with Sakaiminato in Tottori. The road has a total length of 1.7 km, and about 1.44 km is over the lake, its width is 11.3 meters, making it the largest reinforced concrete bridge in Japan and the third largest in the world.
The truth is that this bridge does not incline more than 6% and all the photos and videos we find on the internet belong to a TV commercial used by the car manufacturer Daihatsu Motor Co. The optical illusion used in the commercial made the viewer believe that the bridge was extremely steep and dangerous. The company wanted people to believe that the bridge was frighteningly steep, to demonstrate the strength of their new car.
What is the real Eshima Ohashi bridge like?
The image above shows what the Eshima Ohashi bridge really looks like. Although it may not seem like much, it really gives a roller coaster view when you are about to ascend. This is because the entire incline can create an optical effect that makes it look higher than it actually is. You can notice this on roads when you leave a flat section and ahead comes an elevated section. The bridge is impressive, but what stands out is the asphalt and the cleanliness of the roads.
The Eshima Ohashi bridge was built from 1997 to 2004. It has an impressive height of 44 meters. On the Shimane side, its incline is 6.1% and on the Tottori side, it is 5.1%. It is worth mentioning that its name in Japanese is simply Eshima Ohashi (江島大橋) which can be literally translated as Great bridge of Eshima.
The videos below show what the real Eshima Ohashi Bridge is like, which is still inclined!
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