Wakato Bridge
The Wakato Bridge (若戸大橋, Wakato Ōhashi, lit. "Great Waka-To Bridge), is a suspension bridge in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. Opened on September 26, 1962, it has a 367-meter main span and is two kilometers long. The name of the bridge comes from the characters of the Kitakyūshū wards of Wakamatsu (若松) and Tobata (戸畑) that the bridge connects across Dokai Bay.
History
The bridge passed into the control of Kitakyūshū on September 30, 2005.
Wakato Ferry
The Wakato ferry existed before the bridge was built; it has been retained by the city for pedestrians and cyclists, as the bridge is nowadays reserved for motor vehicle traffic only, since a large number of suicides has occurred from its deck. The cheapest ferry ride in Japan, the three-minute journey costs 100 yen each way for adults, and 50 yen for children and older people. Bicycles can be transported for an additional 100 yen.
The space monster Dogora, lifted and destroyed the bridge in the Toho dai Kaiju movie Space Monster Dogora (1964). (Ronald Chavez Hassan)
