Ondo no Seto

photo by Geospatial Information Authority of Japan · Attribution

photo by OS6 · CC BY-SA 3.0

The strait, opened according to legend by Taira no Kiyomori, narrows to just 80 metres.

The strait between the Kure mainland and the island of Kurahashi runs for about a kilometre and narrows to just 80 metres at its narrowest point, towards the south; today it is crossed by the two Ondo Ōhashi bridges (1961 and 2013). The Kiyomori-zuka mound and the golden statue of ‘inviting the sun’ (hi-maneki), in the nearby Hi-maneki square, still recall the legend that gives the strait its name.

Sea strait between Kure and the island of Kurahashi, linked to the legend of Taira no Kiyomori. Legend has it that Taira no Kiyomori himself opened it in the 12th century, turning the sun back with a fan so as to finish the work in a single day; by tradition, the Kiyomori-zuka mound was erected in 1184 in memory of the episode. Until 31 October 2021 what was considered the shortest scheduled ferry in Japan operated here (about 90 metres, a two-minute crossing); it has since been discontinued and replaced by the two bridges.

ℹ️ The park and the viewpoints (Kiyomori-zuka, Hi-maneki square) are always open and free; the four-storey observation building near the bridge has its own opening hours. Access: about 30 minutes by car from Kure; by bus from Kure Station to the ‘Kiyomori-zuka’ bus stop (~30 min).

🚉 Kiyomorizuka · 2 min walk

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · kiyomori-ondonoseto.com · city.kure.lg.jp

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