nightmares

Thousands of vehicles make the crossing every day.

A bridge so steep it’s been dubbed the ‘rollercoaster bridge’ is located in Japan and sees thousands of vehicles cross it daily. Often regarded as one of the steepest in the world, the Eshima Ohashi bridge links Matsue, in the Shimane Prefecture, with Sakaiminato in the Tottori Prefecture.

People say they have ‘nightmares’ after seeing photographs and footage of this bridge, which cost an eye-watering £119m to construct. In some images, it looks as though vehicles must climb at an extremely sharp angle.

It’s approximately 1.1 miles long, rising to 147 feet as it spans the Nakaumi Lake.

The bridge was constructed between 1997 and 2004, replacing a drawbridge that previously existed there. That structure, however, had some significant design flaws.

For instance, it could only handle 4,000 vehicles daily. Today, roughly 14,900 vehicles make the journey across in a 24-hour period, reports the Express.

It was also blocked by ships for approximately eight minutes at a time, and only vehicles weighing under 14 tons were permitted to use it.

In terms of its gradient, it measures approximately 6.1% on the Shimane side, which is where it’s often photographed from. On the opposite side, it’s marginally lower at 5.1%.

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Images and clips of the bridge frequently cause a stir on social media, sparking discussion about its ‘terrifying’ appearance. One individual shared their thoughts on Reddit, saying: “One of my lifelong reoccurring nightmares involves bridges that look like this.”

Another wrote: “Oh. My. God. I get terrified shivers just looking at these pictures. Massive phobia of heights, I don’t think I’d do well on that bad boy.”

However, it’s important to bear in mind that photos of this bridge are often captured using a telephoto lens, which tends to make it appear far more dramatic than it truly is. It’s still quite steep, and extra caution is needed during the winter months to prevent it from becoming blanketed in ice and snow.

According to the Japan National Tourist Organisation, it’s frequently named one of the ‘craziest’ or ‘scariest’ bridges. Even if you’re without a car, you can walk or cycle across it, and it offers an excellent backdrop for photographs.

Additionally, telescopes and binoculars are available for tourists to gaze out across the lake when the weather permits.