Photo: Blueapple48 / CC BY-SA 3.0Nusamai Bridge is the symbol of Kushiro: a European-style bridge over the lower Kushiro River and one of Hokkaido's three most famous bridges. Its guardrails carry four bronze statues of women for the four seasons. The fifth bridge on the site dates from 1976. Locals count the sunset behind it among the world's three great sunsets, an informal title, not an official one.
The national government's Hokkaido agricultural office explains why: the sun sets into the Pacific straight down the line of the river, and around the autumn equinox, for about a week either side, it sets in the middle of the river. Autumn and winter are the clear seasons. MOO, the market hall at the bridge's foot, has souvenirs on the ground floor, a food hall of small bars upstairs and a garden by the water, so the area works as a first or last stop.
The catch is the clock and the fog. By mid-October the sun sets at about 16:45 in our calculation, close to a typical late-afternoon sailing time, and summer fog can blur the view. Check your ship's departure time: if it sails near 17:00 you may catch the colour from your deck instead.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Look for the four season statues on the bridge railing and the view down-river to the Pacific.
- MOO's first floor opens at 10:00 and the upstairs bars have a lunch session (11:30–14:00, last order 13:45) before the evening session at 17:00.
- The bridge lights run from about 10 minutes before sunset to midnight.
- Dress for wind: the robata terrace is on the quayside and MOO's own page asks for a jacket.
- For a sunset from the water, MOO's floor map lists a sunset cruise boat boarding point (check whether it runs for your date).
MOO, the market hall at the bridge's foot, has souvenirs on the ground floor, a food hall of small bars upstairs and a garden by the water, so the area works as a first or last stop.
The picks
Guided days from Kushiro
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
More in Kushiro
Questions people ask here
Is Nusamai Bridge worth visiting at sunset?
Yes if your call runs to dusk. Kushiro's sunset is counted among the world's three great sunsets by locals, and the tourism association describes the bridge as the best place to watch it. Around the autumn equinox the sun sets in the middle of the river.
How far is MOO from the cruise terminal?
About five minutes on foot from the downtown cruise terminal, according to Kushiro's tourism association.
How do I get there from the West Port No.4 wharf?
By shuttle bus, which took about 20 minutes (about 8 km) to the Tourist and International Exchange Center beside the bridge in the 2025 trial, at ¥1,800 return. Whether it runs depends on your ship.