GUNMA

Usui Pass ・Usui 3rd Bridge (Megane-bashi)

A pathway connecting Gunma and Nagano. A bridge connecting eras.

Separating the prefectures of Gunma and Nagano and indirectly uniting the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean, the Usui Pass is one of the Kanto region’s most vital transport links.

Nature & Views

Access

This historic road is a part of the old Nakasendō route, popular with hikers who wish to traverse the steep terrains of an era past. A walking trail that is positively bursting with seasonal color.

One of Kanto’s most vital transportation routes, the Usui Pass is located on the border between Annaka City, Gunma Prefecture, and Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture. The historic Nakasendo section that passes through here, known as the “Usui Pass crossing,” has been selected as one of Japan’s “100 Historic Roads.” This pass is also a watershed, as it reaches an elevation of 956 meters, with rain that falls on the eastern side flowing into the Pacific Ocean, and that which falls on the western side being funneled into the Sea of Japan.

The symbol of the Usui Pass is the Usui Third Bridge, affectionately referred to as “Megane-bashi” (Spectacles Bridge). This historic railway bridge was constructed in the 19th century, with the project commencing in April of 1892 and concluding in the winter of the same year. Its bifocal naming comes from the appearance of its four arches, which resemble a pair of spectacles. Even though Megane-bashi was completed in the late 19th century, the Usui Pass has been charted as having been used as far back as the ninth century, through which the old Nakasendō route passed.

Far from just being a vital transport link, the Usui Pass is also a location of great natural beauty. The colors that surround it shift with the seasons, with luscious greens in spring, burning oranges in autumn, and a snowy landscape in the winter. As such, it has become a popular route for hikers journeying the Nakasendō, with the stretch from Sakamoto-juku to Kumano Shrine now maintained as a scenic hiking trail.

Address

Sakamoto, Matsuida-machi, Annaka City, Gunma

Phone number

+81-27-382-1111

Business hours

Open daily

WEB site

https://www-city-annaka-lg-jp.translate.goog/page/2018.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja

Digital Map