About an hour and a half drive from Naha Airport, you will come to the Kouri Ohashi Bridge that crosses over to Kouri Island. The Kouri Bridge, completed in February 2008, is the longest in Japan at 1,960 meters. The bridge is designed without bridge girders so that visitors can enjoy the beautiful blue ocean called “Kouri Blue.
Point 1: The Kouri Ohashi Bridge is 1,960 meters long, making it the longest bridge in Japan!
The Kouri Bridge is 1,960 meters long, making it the longest bridge on a public road in Japan. Many of you may have seen the bridge passing over the emerald green sea in commercials and other media.
In a slightly geeky way, the bridge is constructed as a PC 8-span continuous box girder bridge and a PC 4-span continuous rigid-frame box girder bridge.
Like the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo, it has no bridge girders on top, so it allows us to see the beautiful ocean of the remote islands of Okinawa without any obstacles.
And because it is over the ocean, the structure is so durable that it will not need repairs for more than 100 years.
This “Kouri Ohashi” connects Kouri Island and Yagaji Island, and every year, more and more nice stores are opening around the bridge.
It is a good idea to take a drive and visit the stores that are the talk of the town.
The beautiful scenery makes you want to park your car, but please note that parking is prohibited on the bridge.
Point 2: Let’s look at “Kouri Ohashi” from the side!
In fact, the Kouri Bridge can be crossed on foot.
The side of the roadway is a pedestrian walkway, and the emerald green ocean can be seen from the bridge. It is so beautiful that some people say it should be added to their “Places I want to visit before I die!
The Kouri Bridge is also a beautifully shaped bridge, so viewing it from the side is also recommended.
There is a park called “Untenmori Park” in Nakijin Village, where you can see Kouri Ohashi from the side from the observation platform!
If you look to the right, you can also see the popular and hidden Walmi Bridge and the Walmi Strait.
And from here, the emerald green to blue gradation of the ocean is beautiful and the silhouette of the Kouri Ohashi Bridge is beautiful, so you can take some Instagram-worthy photos!
Point 3: Recommended stores around “Kouri Ohashi Bridge
Kouri Island is also called “Lovers’ Island,” and many beautiful villas are being built on the island. In recent years, many fashionable stores have sprung up around the Kouri Bridge. Here are some of our recommendations!
Kouri Island Cafe
Located just across the Kouri Bridge, this café offers a beautiful view of the Kouri Bridge from the terrace seats on the second floor. This café with a secluded atmosphere offers seafood rice bowls and a rare menu item called “Island Dare Soba,” which is like Okinawan soba noodles with oil sauce! In addition, the “island pudding” made from sugarcane produced in Nakijin Village is a popular sweet that keeps selling out.
COURI SHRIMP
The cute truck in front of the restaurant is a landmark of this Hawaiian specialty, garlic shrimp. The side menu also features local ingredients. Takeout is the basic fare, but there is some terrace seating available, but it is often difficult to find a seat due to the popularity of the restaurant. Since there are many foreign customers, you may feel like you are in Hawaii rather than Okinawa.
The shop also sells T-shirts and other cute goods, so be sure to stop by and take a look!
