30 January, 2011

A Trip to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge-Bridge World!

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    The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is 3911 meters long, and it has the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world, at 1,991 meters. The two main supporting towers rise 298.3 meters. Japan’s tallest tower, Tokyo Tower, is only 332.6 meters.
 There is a tour that will take you to the top of this tower, and I actually went on it the other day. It was a great experience, so let me share a little bit about this tour.

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge

   At the Bridge Exhibition Center, you get to learn about the bridge itself. The bridge is made by using the latest technologies.
   
                                      
 Lecture about theAkashi Kaikyo Bridge                          BridgeExhibitionCenter

   Once we got our helmets on, we were off to the bridge.
We got to walk on the maintenance footpath to get to the main tower.

                          
Walking on the maintenance footpath              The ocean below our footpath

   Once we hopped on the elevator, it took us straight up to 300 meters above sea level. Tokyo Tower’s observation floor is only 250 meters above sea level.

   
                Getting on the elevator                                 Top of the tower

   The view from the top was simply amazing!

        
　　　       Looking down on Kobe area                        Looking down on Awaji Island
  
All participants received Bridge World Certificate and a picture taken at the top of the tower.

          
                       Bridge World Certificate                    Picture taken at the top of the tower


Akashi Kaikyo Bridge-Bridge World opens in spring of this year until late fall.

   For more information:
http://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/english/bridgeworld/index.html（English）
http://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/bridgeworld/index.html（Japanese）


   The center span was originally only 1990 meters long, but The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake shifted the ground and the bridge lengthened by a meter, showing the power of nature.



 
Ping（Hyogo Tourism Association)