The Walumi Bridge connects Motobu Peninsula and Yagaji Island in the northern part of Okinawa’s main island. It is high, but on a clear day with no wind, it offers a spectacular view. Although the well-known Kouri Bridge is located nearby, there are many fans of the Walumi Bridge.
Point 1: Enjoy the spectacular view of the beauty of the many islands from Walmi Bridge!
The Walumi Bridge opened in December 2010, connecting Nakijin Village and Yagaji Island on the Okinawa main island side. Kouri Island, with its lovely villas and other facilities, can only be reached via this bridge.
There is a bridge station called “Rikarikawarmi” with a restaurant and a store selling village products, including rare local products such as Nakijin products from Okinawa.
The view from behind the building of this bridge station is truly “spectacular.
On a clear day, the beauty of the many islands of the Walumi Strait can be seen. It is probably the best place to see the panoramic view of the Kouri Bridge and the Kouri Islands, which form a parabolic curve!
Point 2: What is the best thing about Rica Rica Walnut at the foot of the Walnut Bridge?
Located on the Nakijin Village side of the Warumi Bridge, the bridge station “Likarika Warumi” consists of a store selling rare items that are limited to Nakijin and other areas in Okinawa, and a restaurant called “Full Sato.
Rikarika is an Okinawan dialect word meaning “Let’s go! Let’s go! in Okinawan dialect.
A representative of rare items is Nakijin’s watermelon.
Nakijin Village is one of the most agriculturally active areas in the prefecture, and is especially known for its watermelons. In Okinawa, where the climate is subtropical, watermelons can be eaten all year round!
At the store corner, whole watermelons are sold, but it is nice to know that they are also sold in packs, cut into cubes for easy eating and convenient for driving. The price is also very reasonable at 200 yen per pack. The watermelon juice from the faucet in the photo is also unique!
I am also interested in the “Kwanso” enzyme drink, pickles, powder, and dragon fruit bud tempura, which have a restful sleep effect.
Also, at the restaurant “Full Sato” (lol), I would like to try the very hearty Kanagusuku Agu pork ginger yaki set meal, which includes mini Okinawa soba noodles, and Okinawan-style zenzai made with brown sugar from Nakijin!
However, the restaurant has often been closed or had its business hours changed due to corona infection, so we recommend that you check the business hours before going there.
Point 3: What is the slightly otaku crap about the Walnut Bridge?
As a bit of an architecture nerd, I was curious about the construction contractor and structure of the Walumi Ohashi Bridge.
First of all, the constructor of the Walumi Bridge is a joint venture between The Zenitaka Corporation, Takenaka Civil Engineering Company, and Kuniba Special Construction Company, which is not so exciting for anyone other than an architecture nerd.
The total length of the bridge is 315 meters, and it is a fixed RC arch bridge with no piers in the strait. This is done to protect the environment and landscape. Certainly, if it were shaped like the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo or the Bay Bridge in Yokohama, the pillars and beams would get in the way of viewing the scenery, but if there are no bridge girders, the view is better!
The Warumi Bridge is the fifth longest arch bridge in Japan and the longest arch bridge in Japan if it is built by the synthetic steel pipe arch winding method.
The Warumi Bridge is usually hidden behind the Kouri Bridge and is not so conspicuous. But after hearing about it, don’t you suddenly want to go there? (laugh).
Please visit Warumi Ohashi Bridge and experience a different Okinawa!
