Beautiful bridges spanning the Seto Inland Sea?!.. Makes you feel like capturing them in photographs, doesn’t it??

They have both cycle ways and footpaths! Today we would like to show you how to enjoy each one! We also recommend a ‘photography trip’ during longer holidays! 

1. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge : The Longest Suspension Bridge in the World!

Spanning the Akashi strait at a length of 3,911 meters to link Honshu and Awaji Island, Akashi Kaikyō Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world.

As it’s close to the station as well as a major national highway, access to Maiko Park couldn’t be easier.

It's a spot where you can enjoy Akashi Kaikyo Bridge's charms to the fullest, a place to see the beautiful scenery of Setouchi! 

From Maiko Park on the Honshu side the scenery is very impressive!

Further on, at the foot of the Awaji Island side of the bridge you'll find Roadside Station Awaji, a place to enjoy original local gourmet using the full potential of Awaji Island grown onions and Awaji beef!

https://setouchifinder.com/en/detail/294 (English)

 2. Onaruto Bridge : Where some the World's Largest Whirlpools are Born!

Along with the “Strait of Messina” and the “Seymour Narrows”, the “Naruto Straits” in Tokushima are the source of one of world’s three largest whirlpools.

And there's a place where you can see the tidal whirlpools directly from above!

Our recommended spots at Onaruto Bridge are not only those for beautiful scenery at each end of the bridge!

Believe it or not, there is a promenade on which visitors can enjoy a 450-meter walk above the sea all the way to the observation area at the end of the promenade!

You can admire the impressive tidal whirlpools straight from above:

https://setouchifinder.com/en/detail/297 (English)

 3. Seto Ohashi Bridge

Connecting Shikoku with Honshu at a total length of 12.3 kilometers, Seto Ohashi Bridge is actually the collective name for 10 bridges that stretch over the Inland Sea!

Views of the sun setting between the islands seen beyond Seto Ohashi Bridge are especially wonderful from autumn to winter. The area has been selected as one of Japan's 100 best places to see the sunset. 

The fact that Seto Ohashi Bridge is the collective name for several bridges is surprisingly little known. For those of you who wish to capture all the sights with your cameras, we recommend taking a super wide-angle lens when you climb Washuzan Hill!

https://setouchifinder.com/en/detail/408 (English)

4. Shimanami Kaido

Mt. Kirosan is located on Oshima Island, Imabari city, Ehime prefecture.

This mountain is a spot where, even within the Shimanami Kaido area, the sunsets are particularly beautiful. Come the weekend, there are plenty of visitors including tourists and camera enthusiasts.

Just before the sun sets, a road of light is born that looks as if it is linking the islands around Shimanami Kaido with each other.

Shimanami Kaido connects Imabari in Ehime prefecture, Shikoku and Onomichi in Hiroshima.

The dedicated cycle path is highly popular and there are several cycling related facilities in the area, so even beginners can take up the challenge without reserve.

 
The model course from Imabari to Onomichi takes serious riders about 3 hours and beginners around 10! You can enjoy the course without any excessive stress by taking breaks and staying over en route.

https://setouchifinder.com/ja/detail/400 (Japanese)

5. Kanmon Bridge : At the Westernmost Tip of the Seto Inland Sea

A symbol of the Kanmon Straits, at a length of 1,068 meters, Kanmon Bridge was the longest in Japan as well as East Asia when it opened in 1973.