Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture
Driving across Akinada Bridge Spring azaleas and sea views at the island’s entrance
Akinada Bridge is a 1,175 m suspension bridge linking the mainland to Shimokamagari Island. The Shirasaki Garden on the island side has around 40 varieties of azalea, at their best from mid-April to early May.
A spring trip in late April, crossing the bridge during the day and walking through the Shirasaki Garden. After the azaleas, let’s continue along the Tobishima Kaido.
SpringLate April, daytime
Our first island break, beside the flowers
My driving friend and I crossed Akinada Bridge onto Shimokamagari Island. We planned to drive the Tobishima Kaido today, but our first stop was right beside the bridge. I got out of the car at the Shirasaki Garden and straightened the sleeves of my cream cardigan.
Rocks and azaleas lined the left of the path; the sea was on the right. I stopped beside the flowers and took my time looking at one bush. Wanting to see these azaleas was why I’d decided to come in late April. I was glad we hadn’t planned just to cross the sea and keep going.
My friend called me, and when I looked up, I could see the bridge tower beyond the pavilion, higher than the trees. We’d only just driven across that bridge, and now we were looking at it from a garden. Even the part of the tower visible from here made it clear we were at the island’s entrance.
Should I include the flowers or the sea? I changed the way I stood each time I took a photo, and in the end I chose one with both. Resting a hand on the hem of my pale purple skirt, I waited a moment on the path. The photo my friend took even included the tower in the distance.
Before going farther, we talked about lunch. “Kure’s thin udon noodles sound good too,” we said as we walked back to the car. Across a bridge to an island, a look at the flowers, then a chat about what to do next. This break in the Shirasaki Garden became the beginning of our Tobishima Kaido trip.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Photos of this place1 images
-
Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture · A spring walk in Shirasaki Garden
Local specialty
Kure’s thin udon noodles
Thin udon noodles that have long been popular in Kure. After walking through the Shirasaki Garden, my friend and I talked about lunch, saying Kure’s thin udon sounded good too as we headed back to the car. It felt as though there was still more to look forward to after our flower-viewing break.
Highlights
The first bridge to the islands
Akinada Bridge takes you from the mainland to Shimokamagari Island. It’s a place to remember as the start of a drive along the Tobishima Kaido.
A garden of around 40 azalea varieties
In spring, take a walk through the Shirasaki Garden and enjoy the flowers beside the bridge. Leave some time in your trip for the garden paths, too.
A bridge to cross, then admire from the garden
After driving across the bridge, get out and take another look. I lifted my eyes from the azaleas and spotted its tower beyond the pavilion. The tower was in my photo of the flowers and sea too, bringing back even the feeling of having just arrived on the island.
Bridge details
Akinada Bridge
- Bridge length
- 1,175m
- Overall width of the bridge structure
- 12.7m
A suspension bridge linking the mainland and Shimokamagari Island. Take a break at the Shirasaki Garden on the island side before driving on.
These figures come from the Hiroshima Prefectural Road Corporation’s bridge information. The bridge is 1,175 m long, and the overall width of the bridge structure is 12.7 m.
More Spot Guides
If you enjoyed this story, you might like these places too. I've gone back to each of them in different seasons, again and again.
