Visitors to Seto-Ohashi bridge ascend 175 m for thrilling view as tours resume after COVID
(Mainichi Japan)
SAKAIDE, Kagawa -- Special tours on bridges linking Shikoku island in west Japan with the main island Honshu have resumed for the first time in three years, delighting visitors who ascended a bridge tower for an expansive view of the Seto Inland Sea.
The Seto-Ohashi Bridges Sky Tour, which lets participants climb a bridge tower standing 175 meters above sea level, restarted on April 23. A total of 18 people from in and out of Kagawa Prefecture, aged between 22 and 78, took part. Overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, they expressed awe at the view, describing it as "beautiful" and "amazing."
The tours began in 1998, and have been conducted in the spring and autumn by organizations including Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Co., headquartered in the city of Kobe. However, they were halted in 2020 and 2021 to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections.
A train on the JR Seto-Ohashi Line passed tour participants with a roar as they walked along a maintenance passage which is usually closed to the public. They climbed the steep stairs of the bridge tower overlooking sea and land. A 360-degree panoramic view awaited them, allowing them to see the islands of Shikoku and Honshu.
Tour participant Sakurako Matsuyama, a 30-year-old public servant from Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, was moved by the experience, saying, "I was glad to find out that I could join such a fun event in Shikoku."
Mayumi Seki, a 36-year-old corporate employee in Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, said, "Next time, I want to come in the season when the air is clear and I can see far away."
Tours are being held on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays until the end of June. They are also planned in October and November for the fall season. Those of junior high school age and older are eligible to take part. The fee is 2,500 yen (about $20) for junior high school students and 5,000 yen (approx. $40) for adults. Reservations can be made through Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Co.'s website at https://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/english/skytour/index.html
(Japanese original by Satoshi Kawahara, Takamatsu Bureau)