Japan National Route 42

, also called Kumano Kaidō or Tropical Route is a national highway connecting Hamamatsu, Shizuoka and Wakayama, Wakayama in Japan. Part of the route requires crossing Ise Bay on the Ise-wan Ferry. It is the 8th longest national highway in Japan.

Route data

The total length on the main road is 487.2km(307.2 miles). However, by factoring in the overlapped section (33.4km/20.8 miles) and the sea crossing(19.8km/12.3 miles)the total distance becomes 540.3km(335.7miles). At the origin Hamamatsu, the route starts overlapped with Route 1 and, is a junction to route 257 and 300. The route passes through the cities of Tahara, Toba, Ise, Matsusaka, Owase, Kumano, Shingū, Tanabe, and Gobō. At the terminus Wakayama, there is a junction with national route 24 and 26.

Overlapping sections

• From the origin to Kosai: Route 1
• From Tahara to Toba (Ferry crossing section): Route 259
• From Toba to Ise: Route 167
• From Ise to Matsusaka : Route 23
• From Tanabe to Minabe: Route 424

History

Route 42 was originally designated in January 1945 as a section of Route 41 (the Kumano Highway), which ran to Tokyo. This ran concurrent with Route 1 (now Route 1/Route 23). On 18 May 1953 Route 41 was classified as a Class 2 highway and redesignated as Route 170, which was later redesignated as Route 42 when the route was promoted to a Class 1 highway. On 1 April 1965, the classification of Class 1 and Class 2 was discontinued, redesignating it as General National Route 42.

On 1 April 1993, the highway was changed by removing the section of Tsu-Matsusaka and adding the Hamamatsu - Matsusaka. This was part of the plan to connect the Atsumi Peninsula, though the Kii Peninsula, Shikoku, Kyushu and terminating at Okinawa. This plan is called the Japan Sea National Land Axis Plan.

Passes through

Shizuoka Prefecture

• Hamana Bypass (浜名バイパス)
• Hamamatsu - Kosai

Aichi Prefecture

• Sanen Ise Access Road (三遠伊勢連絡道路) - Planning Stage
• Hamamatsu - Ise (Mie Prefecture)

Mie Prefecture

• Matsusaka - Taki Bypass (松阪多気バイパス)
• Matsusaka - Taki
• Kumano - Owase Road (熊野尾鷲道路)
• Owase - Kumano
• Odomari Bypass (大泊バイパス)
• Kumano
• Kumano Road (熊野道路)
• Kumanoo
• Kiho Bypass (紀宝バイパス)
• Kiho - Shingu
• Shingu - Kiho Road (新宮紀宝道路)
• Kiho - Shingu

Wakayama Prefecture

• Nachikatsuura - Shingu Road (那智勝浦新宮道路)
• Shingu - Nachikatsuura
• Kushimoto - Taiji Road (串本太地道路)
• Taiji - Kushimoto
• Susami - Kushimoto Road (すさみ串本道路)
• Kushimoto - Susami
• Yuasa - Gobo Road (湯浅御坊道路) - Toll Road
• Gobo - Yuasa
• Hiki River Road (日置川道路)
• Sasumi - Shirahama
• Tanabe Bypass (田辺バイパス)
• Kamitonda - Tanabe
• West Tanabe Bypass (田辺西バイパス)
• Tanabe
• Yura Bypass (由良バイパス)
• Yura - Hirogawa
• Arida Bypass (有田バイパス)
• Arida
• Shimizu Widening (冷水拡幅) - Partially Under Construction
• Kainan
• Arita - Kainan Road (有田海南道路) - Partially Under Construction
• Arida - Kainan
• Kainan Bypass (海南バイパス)
• Kainan

Intersects with

References