The is a 4-laned national expressway in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company and Central Nippon Expressway Company.
The expressway is officially referred to as the Chà «à  Expressway Nagano Route. The Chà «à  Expressway Nagano Route is the official designation for the Chà «à  Expressway between Takaido Interchange and Okaya Junction (concurrent with the Chà «à  Expressway Nishinomiya Route), the Nagano Expressway between Okaya Junction and Kà Âshoku Junction, and the Jà Âshin-etsu Expressway between Kà Âshoku Junction and Suzaka-Naganohigashi Interchange (concurrent with the Kan-Etsu Expressway Jà Âetsu Route).
The expressway was originally built and managed by Japan Highway Public Corporation. On October 1, 2005, the management of the route was assigned to East Nippon Expressway Company (KÃ Âshoku Junction to Azumino Interchange, excluding the interchange) and Central Nippon Expressway Company (Okaya Junction to Azumino Interchange, including the interchange).
The route of the expressway runs through the central part of Nagano Prefecture. From the origin at a junction with the Chà «à  Expressway in the city of Okaya near Lake Suwa, the expressway follows a northerly course to Matsumoto, the major city in the central Nagano area. From here the expressway follows a winding northeasterly course through mountainous areas before reaching the terminus in the city of Chikuma. Beyond the terminus, the roadway continues as the Jà Âshin-etsu Expressway towards the city of Nagano, the prefectural capital.
There is one snow chain changing area between Obasute Service Area and KÃ Âshoku Interchange.