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8. Eshima Ohashi Bridge, Japan
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Photographs of the Eshima Ohashi Bridge, which links Japanese cities Matsue and Sakaiminato, have attracted attention from all around. Though photographs shot with telephoto lenses show the bridge's 6.1% gradient as shockingly steep, this optical illusion has earned it the moniker "The Roller Coaster Bridge" or "The Bridge to the Sky."
Crossing this bridge reality is pretty different from what pictures portray. Actually, the experience is far more subdued and calm than the dramatic pictures would have one expect. Designed practically, the bridge must be high enough to let ships travel beneath it across Lake Nakaumi, a vital channel for freight ships and local fishing vessels.
Rising to a height of roughly 144 feet (44 meters), the structure runs nearly one mile (1.7 kilometers). Its building involves advanced engineering to provide safe passage for marine traffic as well as for automobiles. Though they seem spectacular in pictures, the bridge's design features mild bends and well computed gradients that actually give a safe and pleasurable driving experience. This amazing piece of infrastructure has evolved from a necessary means of transit to a tourist destination attracting people eager to see the difference between its reputation and reality.
