Sada Chinka Bridge

Longest of several submersible bridges spanning the Shimanto River in Kochi Prefecture. Built without railings, it is designed to sink below the surface during floods rather than be destroyed by the current. Crossing by bicycle or on foot puts the clear river just below your feet, with forested banks stretching in both directions. The Shimanto is known as Japan's last clear stream, and from the bridge you can often see sweetfish darting in the shallows. Early morning mist rising from the water makes for a particularly atmospheric crossing. Several chinka-bashi dot the lower Shimanto, but Sada is the most accessible.