On November 27, 2024, the sky was clear as if the rain from the day before was a lie. The 2024 Atsumi Foundation fellows went to see the construction site of the Kochigawabashi Bridge, a bridge currently under construction for the Shin Tomei Expressway by Kajima Corporation, Yokohama Branch. Executive Director Atsumi Naoki and Associate Director Imanishi Junko also joined in on the tour, and the day was a valuable opportunity to learn about the cutting-edge long-span arch bridge construction, handled by a super general contracting company.

We gathered at a bus center near Tokyo Station around 10:00 AM, and headed to the construction site on a microbus. On the way, we had lunch and a break at the Ebina Service Area. We approached the site at a few minutes past 13:00 PM, and we could see the currently under-construction Kochigawabashi Bridge far above ground, from directly under the bridge. Viewing the bridge we are about to tour from below, we were awestruck by the scale and intricacy of the structure.

After arriving at the on-site office, Executive Director Atsumi explained the purpose of the construction site tour at the conference room. Then, the lead of construction, Chief Tanaka and Deputy Chief Minami from Kajima gave us an overview about the Kochigawabashi Bridge construction project. We learned how patient on-site efforts and technical innovations contributes to large-scale construction projects and safety improvements in construction sites. The overview was a valuable opportunity to be aware of the issues the construction industry faces, as well as the endeavors to overcome such issues.

Next, we wore helmets and safety belts and headed for the construction site tour. We rode the temporary elevator to arrive at the scaffold, and were able to see up-close the process of crafting the 771-meter-long, maximum 88-meter-high massive arch bridge. The view while riding the occasionally shaky temporary elevator was breathtaking, but it also strongly reminded me that there is always a life-threatening hazard at a construction site. In fact, there were many signs calling for safety and quality control, such as "Be firm! No hazard for the whole day" and "make things with your heart, one thing at a time", showing how thorough they are with ensuring safety and quality of construction, as well as upholding safety through establishing a safety manual. I was deeply inspired by the sense of responsibility and professionalism of people working on-site.

We returned to Yokohama after the tour, and had a gathering at a Chinese restaurant, together with employees of Kajima Corporation. During the party, while also enjoying the great Chinese food and small talks, many exchanged opinions on tangible issues construction sites face, as well as application of cutting-edge technologies. What especially moved me was how important organic human relationships are to construction projects, not just development and application of the newest technology. In such a large-scale construction project, the understanding and cooperation of local community is indispensable. Employees of Kajima patiently built a good human relationship with the local residents, for example by joining their festivals, to deepen their relationship with the local communities. This story left a strong impression in my heart.

The construction began in August 2016, and is scheduled to finish in 2027. I felt that I would love to drive on the completed Kochigawabashi Bridge. I hope for a smooth completion of the construction, with no accident or hazard.

Written by: Okuda Genki (2024 fellow)

Photos from the day

Translated by: Motoki Luxmiwattana