Amarube Bridge is a remarkable railway bridge located in Amarube, Kasumi Ward, Kami Town, Mikata District, Hyogo Prefecture. It carries the single-track San’in Main Line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), spanning the valley between Yoroi Station and Amarube Station. The bridge represents two distinct eras of railway engineering: the original steel structure, famously known as the Amarube Railway Bridge, and the modern bridge that replaced it in 2010.
The first Amarube Bridge was a steel trestle bridge that opened on March 1, 1912. Widely known in Japan as the Amarube Railway Bridge, it served as an important part of the San’in Main Line for nearly a century. Its striking reddish-brown steel framework, set against the dramatic coastal scenery of the Sea of Japan, made it a popular landmark among railway enthusiasts, photographers, and tourists.
As the structure aged, however, deterioration made replacement necessary. The original bridge ceased operations on July 16, 2010, and dismantling began the following day. The last train to cross it was the limited express Hamakaze No. 5. In recognition of its engineering and historical significance, the old bridge received an A-rank designation as a modern civil engineering heritage site from the Japan Society of Civil Engineers and was also selected as a Civil Engineering Heritage site by the organization.
The present bridge is an extradosed prestressed concrete bridge, a design that combines characteristics of cable-stayed bridges and girder bridges. Construction began in 2007, and the new structure entered service on August 12, 2010. Like its predecessor, it crosses the Hasegawa River and National Route 178, rising above the surrounding valley with an impressive silhouette.
During construction, a live camera allowed local residents and railway fans to follow the progress of the work and watch trains pass through the area in real time. The project attracted considerable interest because it marked the transformation of one of Japan’s best-known railway landmarks.
A viewpoint on the hillside behind Amarube Station offers a sweeping view of the bridge against the backdrop of the Sea of Japan. It has become a favorite spot for photography, allowing visitors to appreciate both the scale of the structure and the beauty of the surrounding coastline.
The viewpoint was temporarily closed during the bridge replacement project, but following requests from local residents and visitors, it reopened on November 3, 2010. Today, it remains a popular place to watch trains cross the valley and capture the contrast between the railway, the sea, and the rugged landscape of the San’in coast.
JR West’s official name for both the original and present structures is Amarube Bridge, written in Japanese as 余部橋梁. Because the character 梁 is not included in Japan’s standard-use kanji list, the name has also been written as 余部橋りょう, using hiragana for the final part. This form has been used by railway operating staff and appeared on components of the original bridge.
The former structure became widely known by the nickname Amarube Railway Bridge, a name that appeared in local tourism brochures and maps. The current structure is sometimes called the New Amarube Bridge or Amarube New Bridge to distinguish it from its predecessor. Some railway enthusiasts continue to use the older nickname for the modern bridge as well.
The station serving the area is written 餘部駅, using the older form of the character for “Amarube.” This spelling distinguishes it from Yobe Station in Hyogo Prefecture, which uses the same pronunciation for the place name’s final characters in a different combination.
The original bridge was constructed as part of the expansion of Japan’s national railway network after the Russo-Japanese War. At the time, completing the eastern section of the San’in Main Line was a major priority, particularly the unfinished route between Kasumi Station and Hamasaka Station, where steep and rugged terrain posed considerable engineering challenges.
Railway engineers debated how best to lay the tracks through this difficult landscape. A proposal by Shigemi Ishimaru, head of the Yonago railway office, was ultimately adopted. Rather than building an exceptionally long tunnel, the chosen route climbed the mountains and passed through a series of shorter tunnels. This alignment required the railway to cross the deep valley carved by the Hasegawa River at Amarube, making the construction of a high bridge essential.
Work on the original Amarube Bridge began on December 16, 1909, and was completed on January 13, 1912. The steel trestle structure measured 310.59 meters in length and stood 41.45 meters above the valley. Its construction cost 331,536 yen at the time, and the bridge consisted of 11 supporting piers and 23 spans.
Building such a substantial structure in the challenging coastal terrain was a notable achievement in Japanese railway engineering. Beyond its practical role in connecting communities along the San’in coast, the bridge became a symbol of the region, celebrated for its imposing scale and its harmonious setting among the mountains and the Sea of Japan.
Although the original steel bridge completed its service in 2010, its engineering legacy and place in local history endure. The modern Amarube Bridge continues to carry trains through this spectacular landscape, offering visitors a chance to experience one of Hyogo Prefecture’s distinctive railway landmarks.