Shuto Expressway
Encyclopedia
is a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area
of Japan
. It is operated and maintained by the .
Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely. Tunnels are also used on routes near the waterfront and Haneda airport.
The speed limit is 60 km/h on most routes, but 80 km/h on the Bayshore Route
, and 50 km/h on the Inner Circular Route.
All trips on the expressway require a toll be paid, but unlike most expressways in Japan, though similar to the Hanshin Expressway
system in Osaka, the toll is the same regardless of distance travelled. As of 2008, the toll for a standard-size car is ¥
700 on Tokyo routes (both circular and radial), ¥600 on Kanagawa routes and ¥400 yen on Saitama routes. For large vehicles, the toll is doubled. On January 1, 2012 the regional tolls will be replaced by distance-based tolls for vehicles equipped with the ETC toll-collection system and a flat toll of ¥900 for users paying cash.
The Metropolitan Expressway was first built between Kyobashi Exit in Chūō, Tokyo
and Shibaura Exit in Minato, Tokyo
in 1962 for the purpose of increasing traffic flow efficiency in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, thus optimizing and improving the functionality of the traffic system. Since then, 280 kilometres of highway network has been built in the Tokyo metropolitan area; 30 kilometres more of highway are either constructed or planned, making the Metropolitan Expressway a vast network of urban expressway
in the Tokyo region.
Ohashi junction in 2010, motorcycles with passengers are finally able to pass through the Shuto Expressway from the Tomei
to other expressways using the C2 route, although this can be a much longer drive in some cases.
See this map for details.
, the Shuto line has become a common street racing
road. One of the lines, Bayshore Route (or known as the Wangan by hashiriya), received worldwide notoriety during the 1990s as the home course for the MidNight Club
, one of the most notorious street racing clubs, who were known for their 300 km/h, sometimes 320 km/h exploits.
Due to this infamy, the Wangan is the setting for several entertainment properties, such as the manga
and arcade game
Wangan Midnight
, video games Shutokou Battle and Gran Turismo 5
and the movie series Shuto Kousoku Trial
. Numerous car enthusiast magazines and DVDs, like Best Motoring, also highlight races and activities on the Wangan.
Greater Tokyo Area
The Greater Tokyo Area is a large metropolitan area in Kantō region, Japan, consisting of most of the prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tokyo . In Japanese, it is referred to by various terms, including the , , and others....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is operated and maintained by the .
Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely. Tunnels are also used on routes near the waterfront and Haneda airport.
The speed limit is 60 km/h on most routes, but 80 km/h on the Bayshore Route
Bayshore Route
Wangan has many meanings. See Wangan for a list.The Bayshore Route of Shuto Expressway is a stretch of toll highway in Greater Tokyo, 70 km, that runs from Yokohama city, Kanazawa ward, to Ichikawa city of Chiba Prefecture...
, and 50 km/h on the Inner Circular Route.
All trips on the expressway require a toll be paid, but unlike most expressways in Japan, though similar to the Hanshin Expressway
Hanshin Expressway
The is a network of expressways surrounding Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, Japan. Operated by , it opened in 1962.Portions of the Hanshin Expressway collapsed during the Kobe earthquake on January 17, 1995. These sections were rebuilt by 1996...
system in Osaka, the toll is the same regardless of distance travelled. As of 2008, the toll for a standard-size car is ¥
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
700 on Tokyo routes (both circular and radial), ¥600 on Kanagawa routes and ¥400 yen on Saitama routes. For large vehicles, the toll is doubled. On January 1, 2012 the regional tolls will be replaced by distance-based tolls for vehicles equipped with the ETC toll-collection system and a flat toll of ¥900 for users paying cash.
Circular (loop) routes
- C1 Inner Circular RouteInner Circular Route (Shuto Expressway)The , signed as Route C1, is one of the routes of the Shuto Expressway system serving the central part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The route runs as a complete loop around the central Tokyo wards of Chiyoda, Chūō, and Minato, with a total length of . In addition to serving areas of central Tokyo,...
- C2 Central Circular RouteCentral Circular Route (Shuto Expressway)The , signed as Route C2, is one of the routes of the Shuto Expressway system serving the central part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The route is a circumferential highway running through the outer wards of Tokyo. The complete route is 48.8 km in length, and now 36.4 km length is currently...
— loop is currently incomplete; the Yamate TunnelYamate TunnelThe carries the Central Circular Route of the Shuto Expressway from the Takamatsu on-ramp in Toshima to the Ōhashi Junction in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. The overall length is 11 km. The segment linking the Takamatsu on-ramp and Nishi Shinjuku Junction in Shinjuku opened to traffic on December...
, a major extension, opened on December 22, 2007. - Y Yaesu RouteYaesu RouteThe , signed as Route Y, is one of the routes of the Shuto Expressway system in the Tokyo area. It connects the Inner Circular Route at Kandabashi Junction in Chiyoda Ward to the Tokyo Expressway at Nishi-ginza Junction in Chūō Ward. The expressway is 1.9 km in length and primarily serves...
— via Tokyo ExpresswayTokyo ExpresswayThe , also known as the KK Expressway, is a short untolled expressway in central Tokyo that is owned and maintained by Tokyo Kōsoku Dōro K.K. It runs in a semicircular loop around the Ginza district of Chūō-ku...
Radial routes
- No. 1 Ueno RouteRoute 1 (Shuto Expressway)Route 1 is one of the radial routes of the Shuto Expressway system in the Tokyo area. Route 1 has two segments: a northern segment connecting Chūō-ku to Taito-ku via Ueno; and a southern segment connecting Minato-ku to Haneda in Ota-ku...
(Edobashi JCT - Iriya) - No. 1 Haneda RouteRoute 1 (Shuto Expressway)Route 1 is one of the radial routes of the Shuto Expressway system in the Tokyo area. Route 1 has two segments: a northern segment connecting Chūō-ku to Taito-ku via Ueno; and a southern segment connecting Minato-ku to Haneda in Ota-ku...
(Hamazaki-bashi JCT - Haneda) - No. 2 Meguro RouteRoute 2 (Shuto Expressway)Route 2 is one of the radial routes of the Shuto Expressway system in the Tokyo area. Route 2 runs southwest and south from Ichinohashi Junction in Minato-ku and currently ends at a local road in Shinagawa-ku. The current length of the highway is 5.9 km...
(Ichinohashi JCT - Togoshi) - No. 3 Shibuya RouteRoute 3 (Shuto Expressway)Route 3 is one of the radial routes of the Shuto Expressway system in the Tokyo area. Route 3 runs southwest from Tanimachi Junction in Minato-ku and runs for 7.44 miles through Shibuya-ku, Meguro-ku, and Setagaya-ku...
(Tanimachi JCT - Yoga) - No. 4 Shinjuku RouteRoute 4 (Shuto Expressway)thumb|Miyakezaka JCTRoute 4 is one of the radial routes of the Shuto Expressway system in the Tokyo area. Route 4 runs west from Miyakezaka Junction in Chiyoda-ku and runs for 8.44 miles through Shinjuku-ku, Shibuya-ku, and Suginami-ku...
(Miyakezaka JCT - Takaido) - No. 5 Ikebukuro Route (Takebashi JCT - Bijogi JCT)
- No. 6 Mukojima Route (Edobashi JCT - Horikiri JCT)
- No. 6 Misato Route (Kosuge JCT - Misato JCT)
- No. 7 Komatsugawa Route (Ryogoku JCT - Yagochi)
- No. 9 Fukagawa Route (Hakozaki JCT - Tatsumi JCT)
- No. 10 Harumi RouteRoute 10 (Shuto Expressway)Route 10 is one of the routes of the Shuto Expressway system in the Tokyo area. It is currently 1.5 km in length and runs northwest from the Shinonome Junction in Kōtō-ku, ending at a local road in Toyosu. The expressway opened to traffic on February 11, 2009, and currently consists of only one...
(under construction) - No. 11 Daiba RouteRoute 11 (Shuto Expressway)Route 11 is one of the routes of the Shuto Expressway system in the Tokyo area. Route 11 runs from Shibaura Junction in Minato-ku and runs for 3.9 km through Rainbow Bridge...
(Shibaura JCT - Ariake JCT) - B Bayshore RouteBayshore RouteWangan has many meanings. See Wangan for a list.The Bayshore Route of Shuto Expressway is a stretch of toll highway in Greater Tokyo, 70 km, that runs from Yokohama city, Kanazawa ward, to Ichikawa city of Chiba Prefecture...
(Kawasaki-ukishima JCT - Koya)
Kanagawa routes
- K1 Yokohane Route (Haneda - Ishikawa-cho JCT)
- K2 Mitsusawa Route (Kinko JCT - Mitsuzawa)
- K3 Kariba Route (Honmoku JCT - Kariba)
- K5 Daikoku Route (Namamugi JCT - Daikoku JCT)
- K6 Kawasaki Route (Tonomachi - Kawasaki-ukishima JCT)
- B Bayshore RouteBayshore RouteWangan has many meanings. See Wangan for a list.The Bayshore Route of Shuto Expressway is a stretch of toll highway in Greater Tokyo, 70 km, that runs from Yokohama city, Kanazawa ward, to Ichikawa city of Chiba Prefecture...
(Namiki - Kawasaki-ukishima JCT) (Yokohama Circular Route (under construction))
Saitama routes
- S1 Kawaguchi Route (Kohoku JCT - Kawaguchi JCT)
- S2 Saitama Shintoshin Route (Yono - Saitama-Minuma)
- S5 Omiya Route (Bijogi JCT - Yono)
History
Chuo, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II...
and Shibaura Exit in Minato, Tokyo
Minato, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a population density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
in 1962 for the purpose of increasing traffic flow efficiency in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, thus optimizing and improving the functionality of the traffic system. Since then, 280 kilometres of highway network has been built in the Tokyo metropolitan area; 30 kilometres more of highway are either constructed or planned, making the Metropolitan Expressway a vast network of urban expressway
Controlled-access highway
A controlled-access highway is a highway designed exclusively for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow and ingress/egress regulated...
in the Tokyo region.
Motorcycles with Passengers
Like all other expressways in Japan, two-wheeled motorcycles with passengers were banned for many years. Even though a legal amendment on 1 April 2005 generally allows a person aged at least 20 with a motorcycle driver license for at least 3 years to carry a passenger on a two-wheel motorcycle on an expressway, some segments of the Shuto still prohibit passengers. These segments include the important C1 route and adjoining central Tokyo routes. With the opening of the Yamate TunnelYamate Tunnel
The carries the Central Circular Route of the Shuto Expressway from the Takamatsu on-ramp in Toshima to the Ōhashi Junction in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan. The overall length is 11 km. The segment linking the Takamatsu on-ramp and Nishi Shinjuku Junction in Shinjuku opened to traffic on December...
Ohashi junction in 2010, motorcycles with passengers are finally able to pass through the Shuto Expressway from the Tomei
Tomei Expressway
The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...
to other expressways using the C2 route, although this can be a much longer drive in some cases.
See this map for details.
Parking Areas
There are 21 parking areas scattered throughout the Shuto Expressway system. In general these are much smaller than the Service Areas available every 30km or so on the inter-city expressways, in some cases no more than toilets, a few vending machines and a handful of parking spaces. None have fuel - drivers must exit the system (and pay the toll again on re-entry) to use a service station. Service stations in the central Tokyo and central Yokohama area are very rare (and very expensive), outer areas usually have one near an entrance.Street racing
Like all other expressways in Japan including the Tomei ExpresswayTomei Expressway
The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. It is a part of Asian Highway Network -Naming:The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters...
, the Shuto line has become a common street racing
Street racing
Street racing is a form of unsanctioned and illegal motor racing which takes place on public roads. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. Well coordinated races are planned in advance and often have people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and...
road. One of the lines, Bayshore Route (or known as the Wangan by hashiriya), received worldwide notoriety during the 1990s as the home course for the MidNight Club
Midnight Club
Midnight Club is a series of racing video games developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games. The games are similar to the Midtown Madness series previously developed by Angel Studios, focusing on competitive street racing in open world urban environments. Midnight Club however,...
, one of the most notorious street racing clubs, who were known for their 300 km/h, sometimes 320 km/h exploits.
Due to this infamy, the Wangan is the setting for several entertainment properties, such as the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
Wangan Midnight
Wangan Midnight
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Michiharu Kusunoki and serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits since 1990, later in Kodansha's Young Magazine. In 1999, it won the Kodansha Manga Award for general manga....
, video games Shutokou Battle and Gran Turismo 5
Gran Turismo 5
is the fifth edition of the Gran Turismo racing video game series. Developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, it was released for PlayStation 3 on November 24, 2010...
and the movie series Shuto Kousoku Trial
Shuto Kousoku Trial
is the original title of a series of six Japanese films, about illegal highway racing in the Shuto Expressway, released between 1988 and 1996. An English subtitled version of the films series -renamed Freeway Speedway- was released on DVD in North America in 2004 due to commercial success of...
. Numerous car enthusiast magazines and DVDs, like Best Motoring, also highlight races and activities on the Wangan.