The Chikugo River Lift Bridge, spanning between Fukuoka and Saga Prefectures, was built by the then Ministry of Railways in 1935.

This lift bridge was built for the Saga Line running between Saga Station and Setaka Station in Fukuoka Prefecture.  Because it spans the mouth of the Chikugo River, one of Japan’s largest rivers, the bridge was designed so that its central section could move up and down to avoid obstructing the passage of large ships.  When the Saga Line was abolished in 1987, the authorities were going to dismantle it though, they made the final decision to preserve the bridge as a walkway in response to the locals’ opinion.  This oldest lift bridge existing in Japan, 507 meters long, was designated as a national important cultural asset in 2003.  The railway tracks were removed and there are no big ships coming and going under the bridge any longer, but the lift is still moved up and down every 30 minutes for sightseers. 

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