Where is the western terminus of the highway located?

The western terminus ends in the Umeda area of Kita-ku in Osaka, linking with other major roadways.

What historical trade paths does this modern highway follow?

The route follows the historical Tōkaidō between Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as the Kyo Kaidō between Kyoto and Osaka.

Who initiated the construction of the historical predecessor road?

Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the establishment of the overland corridor during the Edo period to connect Kyoto with Edo.

Which major expressways run parallel to this highway corridor?

The road runs parallel to the Tomei Expressway, the Higashi-Meihan Expressway, and the Meishin Expressway along different regional segments across Honshū.

Osaka · Japan

Japan National Route 1: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Residents along the Umeda terminus in Kita-ku deal with constant commercial traffic in exchange for unmatched ground transit spanning the length of Honshu.

Japan National Route 1 · CC BY-SA 4.0

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About the place

Japan National Route One forms the primary overland artery across Honshu, tracing ancient postal roads between Tokyo and Osaka.

The highway links Nihonbashi in Tokyo with Umeda in Osaka, crossing through the Kanto, Chubu, and Kansai regions. The corridor follows the path of the ancient Tokaido toward Kyoto and continues along the Kyo Kaido into Osaka. Tokugawa Ieyasu commissioned this overland route between Edo and Kyoto, creating post stations that artist Utagawa Hiroshige later captured in prominent woodblock prints.

Read on

At its Osaka terminus in Kita-ku, the road connects with major regional routes while paralleling the Meishin, Higashi-Meihan, and Tomei expressways across central Japan. Modern administrative designations followed early road legislation that linked Tokyo with Wakayama Prefecture. Living near this trunk highway means navigating continuous freight traffic while enjoying direct ground transit between industrial prefectures.

Associations

Tokaido corridorFollows the historic overland highway between Tokyo and Kyoto.
Umeda terminusConnects into major Osaka road junctions in Kita-ku.
Hiroshige woodblock printsDepicted post stations along the original highway route.
Heavy commercial trafficContinuous freight transit generates regular congestion and urban noise.

Facts

The highway connects the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo with the Umeda area of Osaka.
The corridor incorporates the historical paths of both the Tokaido and the Kyo Kaido.
Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu originally ordered the construction of the road to connect Kyoto with Edo.
The road runs parallel to the Tomei, Higashi-Meihan, and Meishin expressways across Honshu.

Updated September 10, 2026Source: Wikipedia

Japan National Route 1: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

What is around17

Japan National Route One forms the primary overland artery across Honshu, tracing ancient postal roads between Tokyo and Osaka.

Getting there and staying

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