Kami-no-iwahashi Suspension Bridge
Kami-no-iwahashi, or the “Rock Bridge of the Gods,” was completed in 1926, making it the oldest suspension bridge in Akita Prefecture. Located just past Dakigaeri Shrine at the trailhead of the Dakigaeri Valley hiking trail, the 80-meter-long suspension bridge with striking vermillion balustrades was once part of a forest railway. Now, the bridge serves as the gateway to the lush valley.
The bridge gives a perfect bird’s-eye view of the Dakigaeri Valley. Natural primary forests cover the V-shaped valley and grow thickly across the hills along both sides of the trail, while the blue Tamagawa River wends its way through the valley from the Jindai Dam and Jindai Reservoir located upstream.
The bridge’s historical value and views combine to make Kami-no-iwahashi a popular landmark throughout the seasons.