The Great Aso Bridge that collapsed in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. After a period of about 5 years, it was reborn on March 7, 2021 as the Shin-Aso Bridge, finally being revived.

During the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, a seismic intensity of over 6 on the Japanese seven-stage seismic scale was observed in Minamiaso Village, near to the epicenter in Mashiki Town.
The gateway to Aso, the Tateno Area was an important hub of Trans-Kyushu transportation where Route 57, connecting Kumamoto City and Aso City to Oiwake, the Great Aso Bridge, connecting Kumamoto City and Minamiaso to Miyazaki, and the JR Hohi Main Line all gathered, but there was a large-scale mountainside collapse (width roughly 200 m, sediment flowed 700 m, later named the Sugaru-Kuzure). Route 57 and the JR Hohi Main Line were swallowed up by the collapsed sediment, and the Great Aso Bridge also collapsed.

The Sugaru-Kuzure (Immediately after the Kumamoto Earthquake)    *Provided by: Minamiaso Village
 

Fractured transportation access (As of April 2020)

Restored transportation access (As of March 2021)

The inconvenient situation continued for 4 years after that, but in August 2020 the JR Hohi Main Line, in October 2020 the current road section of Route 57 (Tateno Canyon Road), and as a creative restruction, the restored road on the north side of Route 57 (Double Pass Tunnel Route) were reopened.
Then, on March 7, 2021, the Shin-Aso Bridge was opened. Except for the Minamiaso Railway, all of the main transportation access was restored.

The Great Aso Bridge before it collapsed
 

The bridge girders of the collapsed Great Aso Bridge (Viewing is possible from the Sugaru-Kuzure Monument Observatory)

The Great Aso Bridge was an arch bridge that opened 50 years ago. For a long time, it brought bustle as the gateway to Aso, but it collapsed from the main tremor of the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. One precious life was also lost. In rebuilding, numerous considerations were made to realize prompt reconstruction of a bridge that would be strong against earthquakes. The result was that it was reborn as a 525 meter-long PC rigid frame bridge, strong against earthquakes, with a maximum pier height of 97 meters, situated 600 meters downriver of the original Great Aso Bridge. 24-hour construction and state-of-the-art construction techniques were implemented, and the construction period was reduced by 1 year and 4 months.
 

The Shin-Aso Bridge (During construction)
 

The Shin-Aso Bridge (Completed)

There is a footpath on the Shin-Aso Bridge, and it can be crossed on foot. At the base of the bridge, there is also a completed Shin-Aso Bridge Observatory ""Yo-Mule"". Yo-Mule means ""can see well"" in the Kumamoto dialect of Japanese. From the observatory space, you can view the Shin-Aso Bridge, the Great Choyo Bridge, the First Shirakawa Bridge (Minamiaso Railway).
At the rest area that is a relocated assembly hall for temporary housing, toilets are available and you can enjoy local gelato.
 

The view from the Shin-Aso Bridge Observatory "Yo-Mule"

There is also a footpath on the Shin-Aso Bridge
 

The outside of Yo-Mule

The gelato sold at Yo-Mule

Please cross the compelling Shin-Aso Bridge and come to visit Aso.