Eshima Ohashi Bridge in Matsue, Japan

Mar 10, 2015 10 comments

The Eshima Ohashi Bridge is a two-lane concrete road bridge that links the city of Matsue in Shimane Prefecture to Sakaiminato in Tottori Prefecture, in Japan. At a total length of 1.7 km, of which the bridge part is 1.44 km long, and a width of 11.3 meters, it is the largest rigid frame bridge in Japan and the third largest in the world.

In recent months, the bridge has received unusual attention since it was used in a commercial for Daihatsu Motor Co.'s Tanto minivan. The commercial shows the bridge from an angle that exaggerates the slope of the bridge’s approach. Perspective compression by a telephoto lens makes the viewer believe that the bridge is extraordinarily steep. Daihatsu Motor wants you to believe that the bridge is frighteningly steep because it wants to show off its car's strength. Actually, the bridge has a pretty comfortable gradient of 6.1% on Shimane Prefecture side and 5.1% on Tottori Prefecture side, nothing an average car can’t handle. Some websites report that driving over the bridge is “like a roller-coaster ride” which is all media hyperbole.

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Exaggerated slope of the Eshima Ohashi Bridge. Photo credit

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Screengrab from the commercial that shows the Eshima Ohashi Bridge.

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The true slope of Eshima Ohashi Bridge can only be seen from the sides. Photo credit

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The commercial by Daihatsu Motor Co.

Comments

  1. Only one question: for what they built it so high???

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    Replies
    1. They doesn't know but still its so funny for them :)

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    2. They built it so high so that fishing boats can pass underneath

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    3. Definitely Godzilla. He's very popular over there...

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  2. the serie, only in Japan

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  3. Did you really think the Japanese are that stupid ?? Look around your house and your garage... and even the laptop your using now...

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  4. They built is so that ultraman can easily fly pass through it while catching up with godzilla. these two have a thing for playing in the waters....

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  5. Japanese people rock! American peckerwood comments suck.

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