[Taushubetsu River Bridge in Kamishihoro] Unexpectedly, It Is Easy Access to Phantom Concrete Arch Bridge

Private Travel to Taushubetsu River Bridge

There are 3 ways in order to get close to the Taushubetsu River Bridge. One is to join the guided tour, and two is to walk, and the other is to go the bridge by a car or a motorcycle after borrowing a key for a gate of a forest road at Tokachi Seibu District Forest Office Higashi-taisetsu Branch (十勝西部森林管理署東大雪支署). In case of joing the guided tour, a lot of people book a paid guided tour offered by the Higashi-taisetsu Nature Guide Center at Nukabira Onsenkyo Culture Hall (ぬかびら源泉郷文化ホール), Nukabira Onsen. The guided tour is popular because rain boots are borrowed, and they drop and pick participants up, and useful information is got from a guide. In the case of walking, After cars or motor bicycles are parked near the gate of the forest road, it takes about 60 minutes on foot. But around here is a bear habitat, so walkers had better bring a bear bell and a bear spray. In case of a private travel, the easiest way is to borrow a key of the gate and a passport at the Tokachi Seibu District Forest Office Higashi-taisetsu Branch, and visitors can visit the Taushubetsu River Bridge by cars or motor bicycles.

I visited the Tokachi Seibu District Forest Office Higashi-taisetsu Branch to see the Taushubetsu River Bridge in early September because it is said that the bridge could collapse at the any time. Their business hour started in 08:30 a.m., so I came here at that time, and 3 people came to borrow a key, too. At the building, we received an explanation about notes and safety for 5-10 minutes from an office staff, and filled requirements in a document. Then we recieved a passport and a key. Visitors can ask a question, too. After we finished receiving the explanation, 3-4 people come to borrow those, so I had never know that a private travel to the Taushubetsu River Bridge is popular. The office staff seemed to have only about 15 keys, so you should come here in the early hours. In addition, they open a business only on weekdays, so you had better visit here on weekdays if you wanted to visit the Taushubetsu River Bridge on weekend. To people that drive their cars or motorcycles throught Nukabira Mitsumata Forest Road (糠平三股林道（タウシュベツ橋梁方面）の通行を希望される方へ).

A gate of the Nukabira Mitsumata Forest Road is near Maruyama Bridge (丸山橋) along National Route 273. Anglers park their cars near the gate, so those are mark. After opening a lock with the key, and visitors' cars pass through the gate, and lock a padlock of the gate. Except people with the passport, no one is allowed to pass the gate. But some people without a passport came in front of the gate, so I had never know that a lot of people were interested in the Taushubetsu River Bridge. The distance from here to a parking lot is about 3.5 km. Drive safely because a gravel road to the bridge is narrow. * The width of the road is about one car size.

After parking my car at the parking lot, I changed into my rain boots, and brought a bear bell. If you do not wear rain boots, a scope for seeing the bridge is limited. If you want to see the Taushubetsu River Bridge in the various directions, you must corss rivers and walk on a marshland, so you had better bring your rain boots. The distance from the parking lot to the lakeside of the Lake Nukabira is about 200 m. A path to the lakeside gets muddy, and woods and stones are scattered on the path, so watch your step.

I reached the lakeside for about 3 minutes. The Lake Nukabira and Higashi-taisetsu Mountain Range could be viewed from a small hill of about 5 m height on that day. It was fine weather, and the lake was also calm, so I guess that it is the best time to see beautiful views. If there is not the Taushubetsu River Bridge, visitors can enjoy fully a beautiful scenery.

The Taushubetsu River Bridge near an exit of the path caught my eyes. That was famous bridge, and my heart was filled with even deeper emotion. About 30 tourists caught my eyes here and there, and a lot of people were in the bear habitat, so I was relieved because bears seemed to avoid human voice and sound. But a delicious smell of foods attracts brown bears, so visitors had better not eat foods here.

When I visited here on that day, the bridge sunk in the lake water on half of its height, so I decided to look around in the clockwise direction. Exposed rebar and decayed surface of the concrete made me feel a long time. The concrete has repeated submergence and weathering for about 80 years, so it becomes breakable. Ropes were put around the bridge, and I understood that it was dangerous to get close the bridge. Of course, Going up the bridge is ban. The width of the bridge is about 3 m, and I wonder if the railway was on the bridge, and an old locomotive engineer was frightened by the height of the bridge.

Very calm water lake looked like a mirror, and 11 circles were formed. That was very impressive.

Some footprints paths were on the hillside, and visitors had to walk through a marshland if they walked along the paths. Some tourists without rain boots gave up going ahead. In addition, 2 small rivers flew into the lake, and visotrs had to cross the rivers on foot. A tourist that happened to be there told me "Poles with pink plastic tape in the rivers refer relatively shallow water depth, so you had better cross around there". When I put my legs in the rivers, the depth of the water was about 20-25 cm, and the river water did not barely enter my rain boots. A motorcycle rider that happened to received explanations at the Tokachi Seibu District Forest Office Higashi-taisetsu Branch together with me did not wear rain boots, but he crossed the rivers with using driftwoods as a bridge. He is very athletic.

After passing the marshland, visitors could come to the opposite of the bridge. A good view can also be seen from here. I think that this side is suitable for seeing the Taushubetsu River Bridge and the Higashi-taisetsu Mountain Range. Beside, a majestic scenery can be seen.

It took about 2 hours to look around in the clockwise direction. Slopes of hillside were hard to walk, and I sometimes slipped down. Walking distance was short, but I sweated very much, so you had better bring a change of underclothes. I dropped at the Nukabira Onsen, and took a bath, then I backed to the Tokachi Seibu District Forest Office Higashi-taisetsu Branch, and returned the passport and the key. It is not very hard to visit the Taushubetsu River Bridge, but only limited people can visit the bridge, so can feel special and non daily life, and I am satisfied with the private travel to the Taushubetsu River Bridge.

List of Activities

Higashi-taisetsu Nature Guide Center serves varous guided tours. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Snowshoe Guided Tour for Taushubetsu River Bridge

Movie of Snowshoe Guided Tour

Higashi-taisetsu Nature Guide Center(ひがし大雪自然ガイドセンター)	HP	ASOVIEW	Jalan	Sotoasobi

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Nukabira Onsen. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Ganso Yumotokan(元祖 湯元館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Nukabira Onsen Hotel(糠平温泉ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Nukabirakan Kanko Hotel(糠平館観光ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Nakamuraya(中村屋)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Sankoso(山湖荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Higashitaisetsu Nukabira Youth Hostel(東大雪ぬかびら ユースホステル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Onsen Pension Mori-no-Fukuro(ペンション 森のふくろう)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Primalstage(プライマルステージ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten