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Momijidani Suspension Bridge

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

Researched and written by Hinato

Momijidanisuspension bridgeShiobaraautumn foliageNasushiobara

Photo: TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · original

Momijidani Suspension Bridge is one of the reasons Tochigi keeps coming up whenever the conversation turns to Japan's landscapes.

The Momijidani bridge crosses a reservoir arm of the Shiobara gorge on a 320-metre span with no stiffening girder, which makes it one of the longest bridges of its type in Honshu and means that it moves under you in a way that stiffened bridges do not. There is nothing to see from the middle except water a long way below and forested slopes on both sides, which is exactly the point.

The name means maple valley, and late October into early November is when the slopes around it turn and the bridge is at its busiest. The rest of the year it is a quiet stop on the road up to Shiobara Onsen with a small complex of shops at the near end. In winter the surrounding trees are lit in the evenings. At ¥300 to cross, it is a five-minute attraction that most people find they remember longer than that.

Plan your visit

Time to allow

30–45 minutes including the shops

Hours

8:30 AM – 6:00 PM | 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM from November 1 to March 31

Closed: Open year-round

Best time to visit

Late October–early November for autumn colour | Winter evenings for the illumination

Entry fee

¥300 adults | ¥200 children

Getting there

Directions

Nasushiobara. Car recommended, on the road toward Shiobara Onsen. Crossing costs ¥300 for adults and ¥200 for children. Shops and parking at the near end.

What to bring

**Winter hours are two hours shorter.** From November the last crossing is at 4:00 PM rather than 6:00 PM, which coincides with the tail of the autumn colour season. Arriving at 4:30 PM in mid-November is a wasted drive. **It moves, and that is deliberate.** There is no stiffening girder, so the deck responds to walkers and wind. If that is a problem, the view from the near bank is still good and free. **Late October to early November.** Colour in the Shiobara gorge runs a little earlier than the lowlands. That fortnight is also when the small car park fills, so early morning is worth the effort. **Combine with the Shiobara gorge walks.** There is a series of suspension bridges and riverside paths further up toward the onsen town, most of them free and almost empty. This bridge is the famous one; the others are the better walk. **Five minutes, then move on.** Crossing and returning takes about ten minutes. Treat it as one stop on a day in the Shiobara valley rather than a destination in itself.

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