Nagasaki Prefectural Saikaibashi Park

Spanning across Sasebo City and Saikai City in Nagasaki Prefecture, this park boasts the iconic Saikaibashi bridge.

The Saikaibashi bridge, after which the park is named, is an arch bridge spanning the Inoura Strait (Harao Strait). Built to promote industrial development and facilitate connectivity, it linked the isolated Nishisonogi Peninsula and Sasebo City. Completed in 1955, it boasted the third-longest span of any fixed arch bridge in the world at the time. In 2020, it became the first post-war bridge to be designated as an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government.

Flowing directly beneath the Saikaibashi Bridge is the Inoura Strait, counted among Japan's Three Greatest Rapid Tides, known for its whirlpools. The pedestrian walkway on the Shin-Saikaibashi bridge, built in 2006, features glass windows facing the sea, allowing visitors to observe the whirlpools under suitable conditions. Accessible by foot from the parking lot of Saikaibashi Park, the pedestrian walkway on the Shin-Saikaibashi bridge is a popular tourist spot.

Additionally, the park offers various facilities, including a sled slope and playground equipment, catering to visitors of all ages, making it a popular recreational destination for locals and tourists alike.