大甲橋: A Historic Tram and Road Bridge in Kumamoto
大甲橋 (Taiko Bridge) is a reinforced concrete girder bridge located in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. The bridge was completed in April 1965, spanning 106 meters in length and 35 meters in width. Its name originates from the year 1924 (Taisho 13), which was the Year of the Rat (甲子, Kinoene) in the Chinese zodiac, the same year Koshien Stadium was built. Originally planned as a bridge exclusively for trams, local requests led to its design accommodating both vehicles and pedestrians. Today, the bridge features three lanes of vehicle traffic in each direction, separate pedestrian walkways, a dedicated motorcycle lane, and tram tracks. The bridge is a notable example of infrastructure that integrates multiple modes of transport within a single structure.
