A bridge over the Kuzuryū River as it flows through Fukui City, carrying Phoenix Avenue. The Kuzuryū, which rises on Mount Hakusan and cuts across the Fukui Plain, is the prefecture's largest river, and the bridge has long linked the town center with the districts north of the river. It lies along the route of the old Hokkoku Kaidō highway, a place that has supported the movement of people and goods since long ago.
The current bridge is a reinforced-concrete structure built in 1951. It spans the broad Kuzuryū River, and from the bridge you can take in the grand flow of the water and the mountains ranged in the distance. It is a place where the town of Fukui and a rich riverside landscape can be felt at once.
Before the current bridge, a bridge made of moored boats stood here. In 1578, Shibata Katsuie is said to have linked 48 boats with iron chains to build a pontoon bridge across the Kuzuryū. It was counted among Japan's three great boat bridges, and its memory lingers in the place name Funabashi-chō at the foot of the bridge.
In 2022, the New Kuzuryū Bridge opened a little upstream. The Hokuriku Shinkansen and a prefectural road share the same piers, the first combined road-and-shinkansen bridge in Japan. You can see the unusual sight of the shinkansen racing past right beside the road.
The Kuzuryū Bridge also appears in a famous scene of Ikka Matsuki's manga Nippon Sangoku. Set in a near future where civilization has collapsed and the country has split into three nations, the work depicts the Fukui area as territory of the largest power, Yamato.
In the story, Ryumon of Yamato sits alone on the bridge, calmly whisking tea. It is a scene in which he makes it look as though the Yamato army lies in wait for an ambush, a ploy that halts the advance of the enemy Seii army.
It was adapted into anime in 2026 and has become one of the scenes well known among fans.
The riverside is laid out as a walking path where you can enjoy the changing seasonal scenery along the water. It is close to the center of Fukui City, an easy detour during a stroll around town.
〒910-0809 Funabashicho, Fukui
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The anime, manga, and games that feature Kuzuryu Bridge in real life.
A travel guide to the real-world locations of Yamato, the western-Japan nation in the manga and anime Nippon Sangoku. It tours the actual spots in Ehime, Osaka, Fukui, and Aichi that became settings in the story, with the scenes they inspired, what to see on site, and how to reach them from abroad.
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