Enjoy the bridge throughout the year through its views, activities and events
This symbolic bridge has giant blue steel towers which evoke a dragon dancing through the sky. The dragon that is illustrated on the walls is also spectacular. At Ryujin Gorge which the bridge passes over, there are also many events throughout the seasons which take advantage of the wonderful view. There is the Koi Nobori (Carp Streamer) Festival from mid-April to mid-May. About 1000 streamers are hung by the bridge to pray for the healthy growth of children, and the sight of magnificently competing streamers over the wonderfully green Ryujin Gorge is overwhelming. During this period, mini carp streamers also make an appearance on the major roads in the area. On Children’s Day (May 5th), kids of junior high school age and younger can cross the bridge for free. From early August to mid-August, the Lantern Festival is held. 500 lanterns and 100 bamboo lanterns (candles placed in hollow bamboo trunks) decorate the area around the bridge which bring about a magical world. A splendid soundscape is also created from the many wind chimes that come in from all over the country. Admission to cross the bridge is free after 5 p.m. on the days when the lanterns are lit. During November, there is the Fall Foliage Festival. There are many strangely-shaped rocks on the precipices, and Ryujin Gorge stands out even further with the many changes to features such as the waterfalls, the deep pools and the shallows. In this period, the much-praised fresh Hitachi Autumn soba can be eaten. All kinds of events can be enjoyed such as a stamp rally for the surrounding area and wadaiko drum performances. Then, there is bungee jumping which sprang into fame overnight due to a commercial. Since its beginnings in March 2014, over 10,000 people have already taken the plunge. There are plenty of thrills and exhilaration with this dive from the Japan’s highest jump at 100 meters. At several places across the bridge, there are acrylic windows from where you can look straight down into the gorge.