Preserving Hokkaido’s Lost Wartime Bridge

Nov 04, 2025 | News On Japan

HOKKAIDO, Nov 04, 2025 (News On Japan) - Local authorities in Shari, a town in Hokkaido, are seeking donations to preserve and promote an old Japan National Railways bridge that has been registered as a national tangible cultural property.

The striking structure once consisted of ten arches. The Koshikawa Bridge over the Ikushina River was part of the former JNR Nehoku Line and remains the largest concrete railway bridge in Hokkaido.

Completed in 1940 as part of a military railway project, the bridge was never used by trains before the end of the war. Two of its piers were later dismantled when a national highway opened.

The bridge’s design is notable for using no reinforcing steel, a rarity among concrete structures. However, trees have taken root along the top, raising the risk of collapse. Ahead of the winter snowfall, workers recently carried out removal of the overgrown vegetation.

The Shiretoko Museum is now calling for donations to cover the cost of tree removal and preservation efforts, as well as to fund initiatives to promote the historical value of the bridge for future generations.

Source: 北海道ニュースUHB

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