Akashi Kaikyō Bridge — Kobe
Akashi Kaikyō Bridge
JB Honshi · Suspension bridge · 1998 · Kobe to Awaji Island, Japan
Photo: Stingy Scoundrel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0), taken 28 January 2006 from Maiko; via Flickr. Full photograph shown.
The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge carries the expressway 3,911 m across the Akashi Strait from Kobe to Awaji Island. It opened on 5 April 1998 with a 1,991 m centre span and towers about 300 m high. JB Honshi · Wikipedia Checked
4 things to know
- An earthquake made it longerWikipedia says the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake moved the towers during construction and lengthened the central span by about 1 m. Wikipedia Reported
- Almost as tall as Tokyo TowerJB Honshi compares the roughly 300 m towers with Tokyo Tower, which is 333 m high. JB Honshi Checked
- Tours to the topThe Kobe Shimbun reported in July 2026 that the “Bridge World” tours to the top of a tower, about 300 m above the sea, were taking bookings through November. Kobe Shimbun Checked
- 31 light patternsJB Honshi says the bridge is lit from sunset in 31 patterns: 28 basic and 3 special. JB Honshi Checked
Check-in guide
- 📍
- Across the Akashi Strait from Maiko in Kobe to Awaji Island. JB Honshi · Wikimedia Commons Checked
- 🌃
- Lit up from sunset each evening, until 11 pm on weekdays and midnight at weekends. JB Honshi Checked
Sightings
- 19985 Apr
Opened to traffic
- 200628 Jan
Photographed lit up at night from Maiko
- 202515 Nov
A proposal at the tower top · Kobe Shimbun
- 202614 Jul
Tower tours open through November · Kobe Shimbun
Green stamps are dated photographs and official records; amber stamps are news reports and visitor guides. The status stamp follows the newest dated source, 14 July 2026.
On the record
Tower tours of the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, about 300 m above the sea
“海上約３００メートルに伸びる明石海峡大橋主塔からの眺めを楽しむツアー「ブリッジワールド」”
“‘Bridge World’, a tour to enjoy the view from the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge’s main tower, which rises about 300 m above the sea.”
The facts
- Towers
- About 300 m high. JB Honshi · Kobe Shimbun Checked
Related
- Japan Doesn’t Build Boring Bridges (12 Photos): the SAU collection that includes this bridge.
- Kurushima-Kaikyō Bridge, Imabari: three suspension bridges on another Honshu–Shikoku route, with its own Artwork File.
All sources (6)
Official
- JB Honshi: Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, dates, spans, towers
- JB Honshi: Akashi Kaikyo Bridge light-up, 31 patterns
Reference and news
- Wikipedia: Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, earthquake, record, designer
- Kobe Shimbun, 14 July 2026, Bridge World tower tours
- Kobe Shimbun, 15 November 2025, a proposal at the tower top
Photos
- Wikimedia Commons: Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Maiko Hyogo Japan (19175872663).jpg, Stingy Scoundrel via Flickr, 28 January 2006, CC BY-SA 2.0
Artwork File · Last checked 9 November 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files