Shimada City

Once bridgeless, now the world's longest wooden footbridge.

Hōrai Bridge

Photo by 4510waza from shizuoka, japan (CC BY-SA 2.0)

01 ／ Hōrai Bridge

897.4 m long:the world's longest wooden footbridge.

Hōrai Bridge (蓬莱橋) over the Ōi River is a wooden footbridge 897.4 m long and 2.4 m wide. It was built in 1879 at the request of settlers clearing the Makinohara Plateau (牧之原台地) on the far bank, and farmers still use it as a farm road to their tea fields. In 1997 Guinness certified it as the world's longest wooden footbridge.

897.4 m long
Built in 1879
Guinness-certified in 1997

02 ／ River crossing

Edo-period travellers crossedon porters' shoulders.

The Ōi River was the border between Suruga and Tōtōmi, and the shogunate banned both bridges and ferries. Travellers bought a ticket, hired kawagoshi porters (川越人足), and crossed on their shoulders or on a rendai (連台) litter. When the water rose, crossings stopped, once for 28 days. The porters' lodgings are restored at the Shimada-juku Ōi River Kawagoshi Site (島田宿大井川川越遺跡), a National Historic Site.

Bridges and ferries banned
Crossings halted up to 28 days
National Historic Site

03 ／ Obi Matsuri

In place of the brides,the ō-yakko show off the obi.

The Shimada Taisai (島田大祭) is the festival of Ōi Shrine (大井神社). Its portable-shrine procession began in 1695, and it is held once every three years. From the custom of new brides showing their obi sashes in the post town, ō-yakko (大奴) footmen came to parade with obi hung from their swords, so it is called the Obi Matsuri (帯まつり). The procession stretches about 1 km. The next one is in October 2028.

Once every three years
Since 1695
A procession about 1 km long

Living here

30 minutes from Shizuoka on the Tōkaidō Line.

about 100,000 people

According to the city, Shizuoka Station to Shimada Station takes about 30 minutes on the JR Tōkaidō Main Line, and the city hall is about a 10-minute walk from the station. The city has three stations on the JR Tōkaidō Line. It merged with Kanaya in 2005 and absorbed Kawane in 2008, so it now reaches up the Ōi River to the Kawane area.

People living here: 95,719people
Area: 315.7km²
Households: 35,395households
Rent (average for rentals): 49,865yen
Healthcare: 1 hospital ／ 63 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Population from 2010 onward (municipal boundary changed).2005-05-05 に新設合併（金谷町）。2005年調査から市域が変わっている。2008-04-01 に編入合併（川根町）。2010年調査から市域が変わっている。

Children waiting for childcare: —15 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

ACCESS

Where you can go from here.

Shimada City in Japan34.836°N 138.176°E

to ShizuokaJR Tōkaidō Main Line30min

Travel times follow 市公式「市役所へのアクセス」（2025-06-24 更新）に載っている値 (checked 2026-09-24). They vary by time of day.

Shape

Borders 10 municipalities.

Territory of Shimada City

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (N03)

North to south

30.9km

藤枝市, 川根本町, 掛川市, 牧之原市, 森町, 菊川市, 吉田町, 静岡市, 浜松市, 焼津市

Shimada City isthis kind of town.

01Hōrai Bridge, 897.4 m long, spans the Ōi River as the world's longest wooden footbridge
02In the Edo period bridges were banned, and travellers crossed the Ōi River on porters' shoulders or litters
03At the Shimada Taisai, held once every three years, ō-yakko footmen parade with obi hung from their swords

See the town as it is now.

Source: Wikidata (P2002, P2003, P2013, P2397)

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Shimada City official site ↗Wikipedia ↗