, 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 (33.4 km/20.8 miles) and the sea crossing(19.8 km/12.3 miles)the total distance becomes 540.3 km(335.7miles). At the origin Hamamatsu, the route starts overlapped with Route 1 and, is a junction with 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