Chūgoku Expressway

The (part of Asian Highway Network ) is an expressway in Japan, which extends from Suita, Osaka to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi. It connects Kansai and Chūgoku regions in western Honshu, Japan's main island. Other major cities along the expressway are Tsuyama, Kobe, and Hiroshima. It was opened in 1970, and has a total length of .

It is connected with many other expressways, including the Meishin Expressway at Suita Junction and Kanmon Bridge at Shimonoseki Interchange through to the Kyushu Expressway.

List of interchanges and features

IC - interchange, SIC - smart interchange, JCT - junction, SA - service area, PA - parking area, BS - bus stop, TN - tunnel, TB - toll gate, BR - bridge Bus stops labeled "○" are currently in use; those marked "◆" are closed.

NumberNameConnectionsDistance from Origin (km)Bus StopNotesLocation(35)Suita JCT Meishin Expressway Kinki Expressway0.0Chugoku Expwy←→Nishinomiya: no accessSuitaOsaka1Chūgoku-Suita ICOsaka Prefectural Route 2 (Osaka Chūō Loop Road)1.0eastbound exit, westbound entrance2Chūgoku-Toyonaka ICOsaka Prefectural Route 2 (Osaka Chūō Loop Road) 8.3westbound exit, eastbound entranceToyonakaChūgoku-Ikeda IC National Route 176 (Bypass)10.5eastbound exit, westbound entranceIkeda3Takarazuka IC National Route 176 (Bypass) <br/ > Hyōgo Prefectural Route 4216.6○TakarazukaHyōgo-Takarazuka-Higashi Tunnel-18.3-Takarazuka-Nishi Tunnel-20.1-Nishinomiya-Najio SA-24.1◆Nishinomiya4Nishinomiya-Yamaguchi JCT Kita-Kobe Route27.1westbound exit, eastbound entrance5Nishinomiya-Kita ICHyōgo Prefectural Route 8229.8○5-1Kobe JCT Shin-Meishin Expressway Sanyō Expressway31.6for Shin-Meishin Expwy:opening in 2017 Kita-ku, Kobe-Nagao BS-33.6○5-2Kobe Sanda ICRokko-Kita Road36.7-Akamatsu PA-38.46Yokawa JCT Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway40.3Miki7Yokawa IC National Route 428Hyōgo Prefectural Route 1743.7○7-1Hyōgo-Tōjō ICHyōgo Prefectural Route 91Hyōgo Prefectural Route 31347.7Katō-Tōjō BS-49.7○-Yashiro PA-55.8○8Takino-Yashiro IC National Route 175 (Yashiro Bypass)Hyōgo Prefectural Route 1759.4○-Izumi BS-66.6○Kasai8-1Kasai ICHyōgo Prefectural Route 2469.1○-Hōjō BS-72.2○-Kasai PA-75.6Fukusaki9Fukusaki IC Bantan Renraku Road79.2○9-1Yumesaki BS/SICHyōgo Prefectural Route 2386.0○Himeji-Yasutomi PA-94.5○10Yamasaki IC National Route 2999.6○Shiso-Yamasaki JCT Harima Expressway (planned)103.3planned for 2020-Yamasaki TB-103.9abandoned on December 20, 2004-Ibogawa PA-106.6-Kazurane BS-110.2○-Nankō BS-113.8○Sayō10-1Sayō JCT Tottori Expressway117.211Sayō IC National Route 373119.2○-Kōzuki PA-125.7○-Sugisaka Tunnel-MimasakaOkayama11-1Sakutō ICOkayama Prefectural Route 86131.3-Sakutō BS-133.9○-Narahara PA-136.412Mimasaka ICOkayama Prefectural Road 51139.4○12-1Shōō JCTMimasaka Okayama Road141.8-Katsumada BS-144.0○Shōō-Shōō SA-145.313Tsuyama IC National Route 53150.7○Tsuyama-Tsuyama-Kita BS-156.0○-Ninomiya PA-159.114Innoshō IC National Route 179Okayama Prefectural Route 261161.1○-Kume BS-166.5○-Mimasaka-Oiwake PA-173.9○Maniwa15Ochiai JCT Yonago Expressway175.016Ochiai IC National Route 313181.6○-Maniwa PA-184.617Hokubō JCT Okayama Expressway190.818Hokubō IC National Route 313193.4-Azae BS-196.5○-Fuse BS-205.5○Niimi18-1Ōsa SA/SICOkayama Prefectural Route 32209.5○SIC: Open 06:00-24:00-Kumatani BS-215.6○19Niimi IC National Route 180221.6△-Shingō PA-228.8◆-Tessei BS-237.9○20Tojō IC National Route 182246.4△ShōbaraHiroshima-Taishakukyō PA-248.6249.5For Hiroshima, Kitakyūshūfor Yonago, Osaka-Taishaku BS-259.7○-Motomura PA-265.9267.0For Hiroshima, Kitakyūshūfor Yonago, Osaka21Shōbara IC National Route 432276.6○-Nanatsukahara SA-283.1283.2For Hiroshima, Kitakyūshūfor Yonago, Osaka-Wachi BS-286.5○Miyoshi21-1Miyoshi-Higashi JCT/IC Matsue Expressway Onomichi ExpresswayHiroshima Prefectural Route 434288.622Miyoshi IC National Route 375Hiroshima Prefectural Route 470293.6○-Gōnokawa PA-299.1302.0For Yonago, Osakafor Hiroshima, Kitakyūshū-Takamiya BS-308.3○Akitakata23Takada ICHiroshima Prefectural Route 64313.8-Midori BS-315.8○-Hongō PA-317.9322.2For Yonago, Osakafor Hiroshima, Kitakyūshū24Chiyoda ICHiroshima Prefectural Route 5328.9○Kitahiroshima25Chiyoda JCT Hamada Expressway330.9-Asa SA-339.9340.4For Yamaguchi, Hiroshimafor Hamada, OsakaAsakita-ku, Hiroshima26Hiroshima-Kita JCT Hiroshima Expressway343.0-Ushizuyama Tunnel-345.8Ōsaka-bound 3,573 mKitakyūshū-bound 3,558 m26-1Kake BS/SIC National Route 191355.9○westbound exit, eastbound entranceAkiōta27Togōchi IC National Route 186 National Route 191360.4-Tsutsuga PA-363.2○-Sakai Tunnel-Hatsukaichi28Yoshiwa IC National Route 186376.6-Yoshiwa SA-379.1○-Kanmuriyama Tunnel-Ōsaka-bound 2,140 mKitakyūshū-bound 2,198 mIwakuniYamaguchi-Usa BS/CB-387.4◆-Fukaya PA-395.5○29Muikaichi IC National Route 187403.6◆YoshikaShimane-Asakura PA-408.5◆-Yoneyama Tunnel-Ōsaka-bound 3,154 mKitakyūshū-bound 3,260 mShūnanYamaguchi30Kano IC National Route 315430.6◆-Kano SA-432.2432.8For Kitakyūshūfor Hiroshima-Kushi BS/CB-439.7◆Yamaguchi31Tokuji IC National Route 489447.4◆-Nioroshitōge PA-455.7-Niho BS-460.6◆32Yamaguchi IC National Route 262467.4◆-Yudaonsen PA/SIC-473.3◆SIC opening in 2020(33)Yamaguchi JCT San'yō Expressway475.43434-1Ogori ICOgori JCT National Route 9Yamaguchi Ube Road480.1◆-Mitō PA-487.5487.7For Kitakyūshūfor Hiroshima Mine-Mana BS-489.5◆34-2Mine-Higashi JCTOgori Hagi Road490.535Mine IC National Route 435498.2○-Isa PA-505.535-1Mine-Nishi ICYamaguchi Prefectural Route 33511.7◆35-2Shimonoseki JCTNagato-Yoshida BS Sanyō Expressway Ube-Shimonoseki Route519.0◆Shimonoseki-Ozuki BS-524.0○-Shimonoseki JCT Sanin Expressway (planned)-36Ozuki IC National Route 491524.6○-Ōji PA-529.1-Nagato-Katsuyama BS-535.9◆37Shimonoseki ICYamaguchi Prefectural Route 57540.1Through to Kanmon Bridge

Accidents On 5 October 2013, comedian and singer Yakkun Sakurazuka died in an accident on the Chugoku Expressway in Mine, Yamaguchi, while en route to a concert in Kumamoto Prefecture. He was hit by another car and killed after exiting his car following a crash.

References