Famous Japanese Bridge, Eshima Ohashi, Boasts Dizzying Roller Coast Heights

By Danielle

The Eshima Ohashi bridge in Japan looks like a terrifying roller coaster for cars. It climbs 144 feet (43.9 meters) to an apex that appears to drop away, and its mile-long length (1.6 kilometers), connecting Matsue and Sakaimanato, is enough to thrill any coaster enthusiast. But is it really that scary?

Engineers were careful to keep the incline to 5.1% on one side of the bridge and 6.1% on the other, according to Industry Tap. The result is a fairly steep hill, but not the death-defying adventure that it appears to be in certain photographs.

The optical illusion is so effective that Snopes has an entire page about the bridge, verifies that the bridge exists, but labels it a case of “fauxtography,” where a telephoto lens, because of its inherent flattening of perspective, makes the gradient’s incline appear much higher. The effect is enhanced when the photo is shot from directly in front of the bridge, hiding the level straightaway on the other side.

Take a look at these videos, then tell us — would you dare to make this drive?