Yokohama Bay Bridge

An 860-metre cable-stayed bridge opened in September 1989, linking Honmoku and Daikoku Wharves across the entrance of Yokohama Harbour. Twin towers reach 175 metres above sea level; the two-deck structure carries the Shuto Expressway Bayshore Route above and National Route 357 below, with a 55-metre ship clearance.

Y and H Written in Steel Above Yokohama Harbour

The Yokohama Bay Bridge — a three-span continuous cable-stayed bridge 860 metres in total length — opened on 27 September 1989 to cross the mouth of Yokohama Harbour between Honmoku Wharf in Naka Ward and Daikoku Wharf in Tsurumi Ward. Its twin towers stand 175 metres above sea level; the deck clears the water by 55 metres, giving large container ships entering and leaving Yokohama Port ample room to pass beneath. The central span of 460 metres is supported by cables spread in two vertical fan-shaped planes from each tower — a double-plane configuration that gives the bridge its characteristic radiating silhouette.

The cross-section of each tower was designed to read as the letters “Y” and “H” — for Yokohama and Harbour — when seen against the sky. The design is credited to bridge designer Miyoko Ohno. The bridge deck is two-layered and 29.25 metres wide in total: the upper level carries the Shuto Expressway Bayshore Route, while the lower level carries National Route 357 as a free road. Stacking a toll motorway and a free national road within one structure efficiently served both cargo logistics and general traffic from the day of opening.

A Logistics Lifeline for an International Port

The bridge opened at a moment when Yokohama Port was rapidly expanding its container throughput and asserting its position as a major international trade hub. The direct link between Honmoku and Daikoku Wharves significantly cut the distances that heavy freight vehicles had to travel across the port basin. The Shuto Expressway Bayshore Route on the upper deck connects the port area to the wider Greater Tokyo network along the western shore of Tokyo Bay. The lower deck’s National Route 357 allows ordinary vehicles and tourists to cross without charge.

The bridge has no pedestrian walkway, but the area around Daikoku Wharf offers clear views of the full span. At dusk, the silhouette of twin 175-metre towers and their spread of cables against the western sky has become one of Yokohama’s defining harbour images. After dark, floodlighting traces the structure in reflected light across the water.

Summary

Opened in September 1989, Yokohama Bay Bridge spans 860 metres with twin towers at 175 metres and a ship clearance of 55 metres. The Y-and-H tower silhouette designed by Miyoko Ohno has made the bridge a lasting symbol of the port city, standing alongside the Minato Mirai skyline more than three decades after completion.

Drive the lower deck on National Route 357 to experience the crossing without a toll, or follow the Shuto Expressway Bayshore Route connecting Yokohama to Tokyo. For accommodation near Yokohama or Minato Mirai, Rakuten Travel is a useful option.