Suspended between two mountain ridges, the Yume no Tsuri Bashi (The Bridge of Dreams) is a wooden and steel bridge that is built in the northernmost part of Shizuoka Prefecture, in the Sumata Gorge, where Sumata River meets the Oma River.
The mountains in this region is the beginning of Japan’s Southern Alps, and it was certified as an UNESCO Ecopark in 2014. Most of the forest surrounding the Bridge of Dreams is natural forest - completely untouched by human activity. It is home to various wildlife, such as the rock ptarmigan, the Asiatic black bears, and Sika deer.
The clear, blue, gleaming water is an awe-inspiring sight, and its beauty is further enhanced by the Oma Dam further downstream. You can see the blues of the water get darker as the water deepens - so clear that you can sometimes spot ayu fish as you cross the suspension bridge! Ayu fishing season begins in June, so your chances of seeing them in the clear rivers increase exponentially in the summer.
The view is perfect in every season. In the spring, wild cherry blossoms take turns to bloom in the mountains, and you are able to see cherry blossoms (of various species) from the middle of March to early May. In the summer, the green from the trees complement the lovely aquamarine blue waters, but in the autumn, it is an especially beautiful sight. The reds, oranges, and yellows of the autumn leaves stand out against the blue waters, casting beautiful reflections on a clear, still day. It gets especially busy in the autumn, as many come to admire the brightly coloured leaves. In the winter, the valley takes on a very blue hue, as sunlight only reaches the valley around 1pm in the afternoon.
A guided tour is also available for reservation, for those interested in learning about the local flora and fauna. There are four different tours to choose from, from trekking in the mountains, crossing the Bridge of Dreams, and night walks in the region. Applications for the tours can be made on the Yume no Tsuri Bashi tourism website.
