| Five Bridges of Amakusa (天草五橋, Amakusa Gokyō) are five road bridges in southern Japan, linking the Kyushu mainland (Kumamoto Prefecture) and the Amakusa Islands. The bridges connect the islands of Ōyano-jima, Nagaura-jima, Ike-jima, and Maeshima, and were completed on September 24, 1966. The Five Bridges gave hope and confidence in the development of Japan's bridge-construction technology, and changed the lives of those living at the Amakusa Islands (see survey below: Evaluation). Tourists come to view the area's scenery and many islands, and the roads are called the Amakusa Pearl Line, based on the products of cultured pearls. |
