Lifestyle Trend: Japan’s ‘terrifying’ bridge that looks so steep people have ‘nightmares’ about it You Should Know

It has earned the nickname ‘rollercoaster bridge’ due to its steep 6.1% gradient, with thousands of vehicles crossing the £119m structure daily

A bridge so steep it’s been dubbed the ‘rollercoaster bridge’ is located in Japan, with thousands of motorists travelling across it daily. Often regarded as one of the world’s steepest, the Eshima Ohashi bridge links Matsue in Shimane Prefecture with Sakaiminato in Tottori Prefecture.

People claim they have ‘nightmares’ after seeing photographs and footage of this structure, which carried an eye-watering £119million price tag. From some angles, it looks as if vehicles have to climb an incredibly steep incline. Stretching approximately 1.1 miles in length, it towers at 147 feet as it spans Nakaumi Lake.

Construction took place between 1997 and 2004, replacing a previous drawbridge that had significant design flaws , reports the Express.

For instance, it could only handle 4,000 vehicles daily. Currently, around 14,900 vehicles complete the journey within a 24-hour window.

It was also blocked by ships for approximately eight minutes each time they passed, and only vehicles weighing under 14 tons were permitted to cross.

Regarding its incline, it measures approximately 6.1% on the Shimane side, which is often where photographs are captured. The opposite side has a marginally gentler 5.1% gradient.

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Images and footage of the bridge frequently circulate on social media, generating debate about its ‘terrifying’ appearance. One Reddit user wrote: “One of my lifelong reoccurring nightmares involves bridges that look like this.”

Another posted: “Oh. My. God. I get terrified shivers just looking at these pictures. Massive phobia of heights, I don’t think I’d do well on that bad boy.”

That said, it’s important to highlight that photographs of this bridge are typically captured using a telephoto lens, which makes it appear more dramatic than it really is.

It’s still relatively steep, and additional caution is needed during winter to stop it becoming blanketed in ice and snow.

The Japan National Tourist Organisation describes it as one of the ‘craziest’ or ‘scariest’ bridges in the country. Even without a vehicle, visitors can cross it on foot or by bicycle, and it serves as an excellent location for photographs.

Telescopes and binoculars are also provided for tourists to gaze across the lake when it’s clear enough .