Kozuya-bashi Bridge (上津屋橋)
Kozuya-bashi Bridge is a bridge over the Kizu-gawa River connecting Kumiyama-cho, Kuse-gun, Kyoto Prefecture and Yawata City. Because its unique structure is so fragile and can easily be swept away by the river after times of heavy rain, it is called "Nagare-bashi," or a bridge that is easily swept away. It is 356.5 meters long and 3.3 meters wide, the longest Nagare-bashi in Japan (as of October 2007). It is part of Yawata-Joyo Route on Kyoto Prefectural Road 281. It is dedicated to pedestrians and bicycles. Information on the location.
History
1953: It was built to replace a river ferry service. It was known as a Nagare-bashi from the beginning.
August 1953: Its bridge beam was swept away for the first time.
It has been swept away at least 15 times when the river is swollen by torrential downpours, typhoons, and heavy rains during Tsuyu (Japan's rainy season).
Structure
Its beam is only placed on the footing so that high water can carry it away, in contrast to a usual bridge beam where the beam is fixed to the footing. The idea is to let it go without resisting the water. Its structure also prevents high water making things washed downstream pile up between the beam and the piers to form a dam and break levees. The beam consists of eight separate parts each connected to the pier with ropes so that they can not be carried away downstream. 17 piers out of 73 in total are made of concrete. The TV program 'Tantei Night Scoop' made by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation showed that the number of woodblocks for the bridge floor turned out to be 1784 in its broadcast of June 8, 2007, but after a fire probably caused by a firework burned some of them on August 28 of the same year, the repair work made the precise number unclear again.
Neighborhood
At the side of this bridge in Yawata City, a facility "Yawata Nagarebashi Community Plaza" provides a restaurant, a communal bath, and accommodation as well.
Other
There are no private houses or electric poles in the area around this bridge, because it is outside the levees (the river is on the "outside" of a levee). This bridge is famous as a location for samurai movies because its wooden structure fits the atmosphere of the era.