Totsukawa Village, Nara Prefecture
Wooden planks underfoot, the valley far below A summer walk across a 297m suspension bridge in Totsukawa
After a drive through the mountains, a narrow suspension bridge stretches out ahead. Park the car and cross to the far bank on foot. The summer greenery all around and the river below will make this walk one of my favorite memories of Totsukawa.
Here’s the story of crossing the bridge in the middle of a summer day.
SummerSummer · daytime
Take in the river and mountains from the middle of the bridge
I drove Route 168 into Totsukawa Village. With my eyes on the road and my hands on the wheel, I could feel myself winding deeper into the mountains with every bend. When I reached Tanize Suspension Bridge and got out of the car, I saw its narrow span stretching to the far bank. Seeing how far the span reached made distance feel different from what I’m used to on my usual drives, and it gave me a little thrill.
As soon as I stepped onto the wooden planks, I could feel the bridge take the weight of each step. I moved forward one step at a time in my white sneakers, resting a hand lightly on the cable. The breeze slipped through my pale blue shirt, and the sound of the river drifted up from below. Out here, I could feel the summer air against my skin in a way I never could inside the car.
After a few steps, I looked down toward the river. I could see the stones in the riverbed and the current far below. The bridge is 297m long and 54m above the water. The view I couldn’t picture from the numbers alone was now spread out beneath me, from below my feet all the way to the mountainsides. I spent a while comparing the slender cables of the bridge with the scale of the valley.
The bridge was built in 1954 through a joint effort by Tanize residents and the village. As I neared the settlement on the far bank, I could feel this was more than a scenic attraction; it was an everyday link between the communities. When I finally stepped onto the far bank, a little of the tension left my shoulders.
If I were telling my friend about the crossing, I’d start with the moment I looked down at the river rather than just saying I made it across. On the way back, I walked over the planks again, feeling the wooden boards underfoot. Among the village specialties, Tanize yubeshi catches my eye. It’s a preserved food made with yuzu and miso; I’d love to have some with a meal back home, then tell my friend about this valley all over again.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialties to try
Tanize yubeshi
This traditional preserved food from Totsukawa is made by filling a yuzu with miso and other ingredients, then drying it. Pick some up at a local specialty shop and enjoy it with rice.
Highlights
A suspension bridge that has kept communities connected
In 1954, Tanize residents and the village shared the cost of building the bridge. When I stepped onto the far bank, I felt some of the tension leave my shoulders.
Road and walking route
Tanize Suspension Bridge: Uenoji–Tanize
- Bridge length
- 297m
- Height above the river
- 54m
From the Uenoji side of Route 168, head to the bridge. Park the car and walk across on the wooden planks.
The bridge is 297m long, with its deck 54m above the river. These are measurements of the bridge, not the driving distance or elevation change along the route.
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