With a total length of 1270 meters, Innoshima Bridge connects Mukaishima Island with Innoshima Island, and is one of the bridges that forms Shimanami Kaido. At its foot on the Innoshima Island side, you’ll find Innoshima Bridge Memorial Park.

The park area is dotted with viewing points where you can see beautiful vistas with Innoshima Bridge and the Seto Inland Sea.

Along with Daihamasaki lighthouse and a camping area within the park, there’s also a walking trail to all of the viewing points. It’s a dream-like location for people who love scenery with bridges and lighthouses!

There are several parking areas convenient for the park, but the best, if you plan to go walking, is the one located on the west side of the grounds. A short walk from the start of the trail brings you to the Daihamasaki camping area. 

Allowing visitors to enjoy seaside camping with views down to the sea, the camping area is equipped with cooking facilities and a building with showers. From July through August, tents are set up permanently, so even if you don’t have a tent you can enjoy the outdoors easily. (You can use your own tent at any time of the year.) 

I head through the camping area and walk along the trail until I reach a bamboo forest. Hearing the sea roar while walking through a bamboo forest is quite a rare experience! 

Continuing along the trail brings you to a viewing point where you can clearly see Innoshima Bridge. From here you can admire the bridge and the boats sailing along the channel. 

Continuing on, you’ll finally see Daihamasaki lighthouse below you.

The nostalgic-looking building on the front left is the Daihamasaki Lighthouse Museum.

This museum was originally built in 1910 as a signal station to monitor tides. It is registered as Japan’s only wooden, offshore, civil engineering heritage facility.

Exhibiting materials related to the lighthouse, it is currently maintained as the lighthouse museum.

I walk down a narrow path to the side of the museum and finally reach Daihamasaki lighthouse! It’s around 30 minutes on foot from the parking area.

The lighthouse was constructed in 1894 in order to ensure the safety of vessels sailing in the nearby Mihara channel.  

At the foot of the lighthouse you’ll find this beautiful sandy beach with views of  islands floating on the Seto Inland Sea.

On the opposite side to the beach (east side), there’s also a small sandy shore from where you can see Innoshima Bridge. As few people come all the way here, you can monopolize this view of Innoshima Bridge almost as if you’re on a private beach! 

Innoshima Bridge Memorial Park was set up to commemorate finishing the construction of the bridge, which is part of Shimanami Kaido. The park has a walking course with amazing views of the bridge as well as a lighthouse. It’s a prefect outdoor location for enjoying seaside camping with views of the sea!  

—————————————————————————————

Innoshima Memorial Park

Location: 253-2 Daihama-cho, Innoshima, Onomichi city, Hiroshima prefecture
Parking: Available (Toll-free)
http://www.go-shimanami.jp/spot/?a=66 (Japanese )

Setouchi Finder Photo-writer: Hironobu Matsuoka