Kirosan Observatory Park

Kirosan rises 307.8 metres above the south tip of Oshima, and its summit park looks straight down the length of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge toward Imabari. Kengo Kuma designed the observation deck in 1994 to make the building disappear, so most of it lies buried in the mountaintop and you walk out along a bridge into the view. Below you the currents of the strait race between the islands. On clear days Mt. Ishizuchi shows on the skyline, and it is the highest peak in western Japan.

The park never closes and costs nothing. A small shop by the car park sells drinks, snacks and souvenirs. The bridge is lit up on a regular schedule, and the night view of Imabari brings people up after dark.