Difference between revisions of "Kokonoe "Yume" Otsurihashi Footbridge"

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Line 34: Line 34:
  
  
World's 20 Longest Footbridge Spans
+
World's 25 Longest Footbridge Spans
  
1.   Baglung Parbat, Nepal - 567 meters
+
1. Baglung Parbat, Nepal - 567 meters
  
2.   516 Arouca, Portugal - 516 meters
+
2. 516 Arouca, Portugal - 516 meters
  
3.   Wanjiazhai Dam, China - 500 meters
+
3. Wanjiazhai Dam, China - 500 meters
  
4.   Charles Kunonen, Switzerland – 494 meters
+
4. Charles Kunonen, Switzerland – 494 meters
  
5.   Kushma Bungy, Nepal - (490) meters
+
5. Kushma Bungy, Nepal - (490) meters
  
6.   Rappbode Dam, Germany - 458 meters
+
6. Rappbode Dam, Germany - 458 meters
  
7.   Hongyagu Glass, China - 445 meters
+
7. Daqingshan Glass Footbridge, China - 450 meters
  
8.   Sochi Skybridge, Russia – 439 meters
+
8. Hongyagu Glass, China - 445 meters
  
9.   Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass, China 430 meters
+
9. Sochi Skybridge, Russia 439 meters
  
10. Yinzuotianmeng, China – 420 meters
+
10. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass, China – 430 meters
  
11. Highline 179, Austria – 402 meters
+
11. Tianyundu Glass Footbridge, China - (420) meters
  
12. Mishima Grand, Japan 400 meters
+
12. Yinzuotianmeng, China 420 meters
  
13. Kokonoe Otsurihashi, Japan - 390 meters
+
13. Highline 179, Austria – 402 meters
  
14. Ryujin, Japan - 375 meters
+
14. Mishima Grand, Japan – 400 meters
  
15. Skywalk Sattel, Switzerland - (374 meters)
+
15. Kokonoe Otsurihashi, Japan - 390 meters
  
16. Geierlay, Germany – 360 meters
+
16. Ryujin, Japan - 375 meters
  
17. Kushma-Mudhikuwa, Nepal - 359 meters
+
17. Skywalk Sattel, Switzerland - (374 meters)
  
18. Bai Hefei, China - 358 meters
+
18. Geierlay, Germany – 360 meters
  
19. Triveni Garas, Nepal - 350 meters
+
19. Kushma-Mudhikuwa, Nepal - 359 meters
  
20. Bunwajorghat, Nepal - 350 meters
+
20. Baiheshanzhuang Footbridge, China - 358 meters
 +
 
 +
21. Bailihuang Glass Footbridge, China - 350 meters
 +
 
 +
22. Triveni Garas, Nepal - 350 meters
 +
 
 +
23. Bunwajorghat, Nepal - 350 meters
 +
 
 +
24. Shuiyuan Footbridge, China - 342 meters  
  
  

Revision as of 05:37, 31 January 2021

Kokonoe "Yume" Otsurihashi Footbridge
九重“夢”大つり橋
Kokonoe, Oita, Japan
568 feet high / 173 meters high
1,280 foot span / 390 meter span
2006

1KokonoeBridge.jpg


The Kokonoe "Yume" Otsurihashi suspension footbridge was upon its completion the longest and highest of its type in the world. Opened in 2006, the main span of 1,280 feet (390 mtrs) surpassed the previous record holder, the Ryujin footbridge - also in Japan - which has a span of 1,230 feet (375 mtrs). Kokonoe was also Japan’s highest bridge at 568 ft. (173 mtrs) - a record it retained for 4 years until 2010 when the Hiroshima Airport arch bridge opened. Neither bridge however, is as long as the catenary Baglung Parbat Foobridge in Nepal with a span of 567 meters and Japan's own Mishima Skywalk near Mount Fuji opened with a main span of 400 meters. Switzerland’s Niouc was once the highest footbridge in the world but is also a catenary suspension bridge with no towers. Many do not consider catenary bridges to be true suspension bridges since they have uneven, sloping decks that are often unstable.

Of course the Japanese are no strangers to high and long footbridges. Prior to Ryujin and Kokonoe, one of the country’s longest suspension footbridges was the 1984-built Teruha bridge in Aya with a tower to tower distance of 820 feet (250 mtrs). At the time Aya also held Japan’s bridge height record at 466 feet (142 mtrs). Other high footbridges in Japan include the Ueno Skybridge some 295 feet (90 mtrs) above a forested valley and the Tanise suspension bridge 177 feet (54 mtrs) high with a length of 974 feet (297 mtrs). Constructed in Totsukawa, Nara prefecture in 1954, Tanise is one of Japan’s oldest suspension footbridges and is unusual for having two separate sets of main support cables.

The name "Yume" means dreams - a representation of the people of Kokonoe and their desire to bring the people of the region together in one harmonious exchange of ideals and culture. Or something to that effect. A more simple reason to have built the bridge is for the outstanding views it offers of the Naruko-gawa gorge and its towering cliffs and waterfalls. Like any good footbridge of great height, Kokonoe has a narrow 5 foot (1.5 mtr) wide walkway that will induce many with a feeling of vertigo. Some will find this nerve racking while others will find it euphoric.

Although it no longer exists, the highest and longest tower supported suspension footbridge built at the time of its completion was upstream of the massive Glen Canyon Dam over the Colorado River in the U.S. State of Arizona from 1958 to 1964 to aid worker’s during the dam’s construction. It had a height of 640 feet (195 mtrs) and a span of 1,280 feet. An accurate conversion puts the 390 meter long Kokonoe bridge span at 1,279.5276 feet - about 6 inches short of the Arizona bridge!


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Kokonoe "Yume" Otsurihashi Footbridge Elevation


九重“夢”大つり橋は歩行者専用の橋で、このタイプの橋の中では世界一長く高い橋です。2006年にオープンした長さ390mのこの橋は、それまで記録を保持していた長さ375mの竜神大吊橋(歩行者専用)を超えるものです。175mの高さを持つ九重“夢”大つり橋は、2010年に広島空港大橋がオープンするまで、四年間日本一高い橋として記録を保持していました。しかし、どちらの橋も、マレーシア、セランゴルのスンウェイラグーン・テーマパーク(Sunway Lagoon Theme Park in Selangor, Malaysia)にある全長428mのカテナリー型(垂れている)つり橋ほど長くはありません。スイスのニオク(Niouc)は現在世界で最も高い歩行者用つり橋 ですが、タワーのないカテナリー 型つり橋です。カテナリー 型つり橋には、しばしば平らでなく不安定に傾斜するデッキがあるため多くの人はこの橋を真のつり橋として認めていません。

もちろん日本人も歩行者用吊り橋の高さや長さに関してよく知っています。竜神大吊橋と九重“夢”大つり橋以前、日本で最も長い歩行者用吊り橋の中の一つとして、1984年に宮崎県綾町に建てられた照葉大吊橋があります。この橋のタワーからタワーまでの距離は250mです。当時、綾町は日本一高い橋の記録(142m)を持っていました。日本でこの他に高さを誇る歩行者用吊り橋として、森林の谷間より90m上空にかかる上野スカイブリッジと高さ54m長さ297mの谷瀬吊り橋があります。1954年に奈良県十津川村に架設された谷瀬吊り橋は、日本で最も古い歩行者用吊り橋の一つで、珍しい点としては別々に分かれた二組の主要なサポートケーブルが使われていることです。

九重大つり橋につけられた“夢”は九重の人々の表現であり、又、彼らの願い「地域の人々が一つになって調和のとれたアイディアと文化の交換の場に参加してほしい」といったことを意味しています。そして、この橋を建てたもっと簡単な理由としては、橋が鳴子川渓谷にそびえ立つがけや滝などの雄大な景色を私達に見せてくれるからです。他のすばらし高架の歩行者用吊り橋のように、九重大つり橋は歩行幅が1.5mと狭く、このため目まいを引き起こすことがあります。ある人はここで緊張させられますが、他の人にとっては夢見心地の気分にさせられます。

現在はもう存在しませんが、タワーによって支えられた一番高くて長い人道吊り橋は、コロラドリバーの巨大なグレンキャニオンダムの上流に建てらたものです。これは、1958年から1964年のダム建設において労働者の援助のためにアリゾナ州に建てられました。この橋は高さ195mで全長1,280フィートでした。九重大つり橋の390mを正確にフィートに換算しますと、1,279.5276フィートとなりおよそ6インチほどアリゾナの橋よりも短いことになります。


World's 25 Longest Footbridge Spans

1. Baglung Parbat, Nepal - 567 meters

2. 516 Arouca, Portugal - 516 meters

3. Wanjiazhai Dam, China - 500 meters

4. Charles Kunonen, Switzerland – 494 meters

5. Kushma Bungy, Nepal - (490) meters

6. Rappbode Dam, Germany - 458 meters

7. Daqingshan Glass Footbridge, China - 450 meters

8. Hongyagu Glass, China - 445 meters

9. Sochi Skybridge, Russia – 439 meters

10. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass, China – 430 meters

11. Tianyundu Glass Footbridge, China - (420) meters

12. Yinzuotianmeng, China – 420 meters

13. Highline 179, Austria – 402 meters

14. Mishima Grand, Japan – 400 meters

15. Kokonoe Otsurihashi, Japan - 390 meters

16. Ryujin, Japan - 375 meters

17. Skywalk Sattel, Switzerland - (374 meters)

18. Geierlay, Germany – 360 meters

19. Kushma-Mudhikuwa, Nepal - 359 meters

20. Baiheshanzhuang Footbridge, China - 358 meters

21. Bailihuang Glass Footbridge, China - 350 meters

22. Triveni Garas, Nepal - 350 meters

23. Bunwajorghat, Nepal - 350 meters

24. Shuiyuan Footbridge, China - 342 meters


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Kokonoe "Yume" Otsurihashi Footbridge satellite image.


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Kokonoe "Yume" Otsurihashi Footbridge location map.


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