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is a network of expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the .

Contents

Routes

Circumferential routes

Radial routes

Kanagawa routes

History

Street racing

References

See also

External links

Routes

There are 24 routes currently in operation:

Circumferential routes

★ C1 Inner Circular Route

★ C2 Central Circular Route — loop is currently incomplete

★ Y Yaesu Route — via Tokyo Expressway

Radial routes

★ No. 1 Ueno Route (Edobashi JCT - Iriya)

★ No. 1 Haneda Route (Hamazaki-bashi JCT - Haneda)

★ No. 2 Meguro Route (Ichinohashi JCT - Togoshi)

★ No. 3 Shibuya Route (Tanimachi JCT - Yoga)

★ No. 4 Shinjuku Route (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 Route (under construction)

★ No. 11 Daiba Route (Shibaura JCT - Ariake JCT)

★ S1 Kawaguchi Route (Kohoku JCT - Kawaguchi JCT)

★ S2 Saitama Shintoshin Route (Yono - Saitama-Minuma)

★ S5 Omiya Route (Bijogi JCT - Yono)

★ B Bayshore Route (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 Route (Namiki - Kawasaki-ukishima JCT) (''Yokohama Circular Route (under construction)')

History

The Metropolitan Expressway was first built between Kyobashi Exit in Chūō-ku, Tokyo and Shibaura Exit in Minato-ku, 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, 175 miles (280km) of highway network has been built in the Tokyo metropolitan area; 20 miles (32km) more of highway are either constructed or planned, making the Metropolitan Expressway a vast network of urban expressway in the Tokyo region.
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 a freeway, some segments including C1 line of the Shuto Expressway still prohibits passengers on two-wheel motorcycles. See also the map in Japanese. Motorcycles with passengers cannot pass through Shutoko from Tomei Expressway or Chūō Expressway to other expressways.

Street racing

Like all others expressways in Japan including the Tomei Expressway, the Shuto line has become a common street racing road. One of the line Bayshore Route (or known as the Wangan by hashiriyas) received worldwide notoriety during the 90's was the home course for the MidNight Club, one of the most notorious street racing clubs, who were known for their 187 mph (300 km/h), sometimes 200 mph (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 game Shutokou Battle and the movie series Shuto Kousoku Trial. Numerous car enthusiast magazines and DVD's, like Best Motoring, also highlight races and activities on the Wangan.^[1][2][3]

References

1. Hot Version Vol. 87 (Wangan Midnight homage)
2. JDM Option International - Vol 6: 2004 D1 Grand Prix Ebisu (Chiba Footage from Tokyo WANGAN Scene)
3. JDM Option International - Vol. 7: Super High Speed Drift (Chiba Footage from Tokyo WANGAN Scene)

See also

★ Expressways of Japan

★ Japan Highway Public Corporation

External links

★ Official website