Exploring Japan - Akashi Kaikyō Suspension Bridge

It's a little strange. I wasn't interested in bridges at all until I started photographing architecture. I think there's something quite mesmerising about the design of them and how they are able to suspend their weight over large distances. There's no better bridge to see than the Akashi Kaikyō suspension bridge that links the city of Kobe on the Japanese mainland of Honshu to Iwaya on Awaji Island.

My goal wasn't to see the bridge as such, but since I was travelling to Awaji Island to document more architecture by Tadao Ando I had to travel to this bridge to take the bus over to Awaji Island. As I ate my lunch underneath the bridge, with the many Japanese also ogling this massive structure, it just seemed incredible how it could span the distance to the other side. The centre span is the longest in the world at 1,991 metres (or 1.237 miles), the total bridge being 3,911 metres (or 2.430 miles). Quite amazing!

The Naruto whirlpools underneath the bridge are really cool too! They can't be seen here but they are tidal whirlpools in the Naruto Strait, a channel between Naruto in Tokushima and Awaji Island in Hyōgo, Japan and they look like giant vortexes in the water that could suck you in. You should definitely google it! Anyway, here are some pictures that I took of the bridge with my Fuji camera. I tried to abstract them a little and make the bridge seem even bigger, hopefully I achieved that in a few photos. Enjoy.