# Hokuriku Expressway

The Hokuriku Expressway (北陸自動車道, Hokuriku Jidōsha-dō), (abbreviated as Hokuriku Expwy (北陸道, Hokurikudō), is a 4-laned national expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company and Central Nippon Expressway Company.

## Overview

The first section was opened in 1972 by Japan Highway Public Corporation and construction proceeded in stages until the entire route was completed in 1988. On October 1, 2005, all national expressways were privatized and management of the Hokuriku Expressway was divided between the East and Central Nippon Expressway Companies.
The route serves the Hokuriku region on the north central coast of Honshū, Japan's largest island. For most of its length it parallels National Route 8 and the Hokuriku Main Line of West Japan Railway Company.
Although the route officially originates in Niigata and terminates at Maibara, exit numbers and kilometer markings originate from Maibara.

## Features

Around Tsuruga Interchange, the south-bound lanes cross over the north-bound lanes and diverges drastically. The expressway rejoins normally at a point near Suizu Parking Area.
There are 14 tunnels between Kinomoto Interchange and Takefu Interchange (two of which are longer than 2,000 m (6,600 ft)), and 26 tunnels between Asahi Interchange and Jōetsu Interchange (eight of which are longer than 2,000 m (6,600 ft)).

## List of interchanges and features

* IC - interchange, SIC - smart interchange, JCT - junction, SA - service area, PA - parking area, BS - bus stop, TN - tunnel, CB - snow chains
| No. | Name | Connections | Dist. from Maibara | Bus Stop | Notes | Location | Location |
| 27-1 | Maibara JCT | Meishin Expressway | 0.0 | | | Maibara | Shiga |
| 1 | Maibara IC | National Route 21 | 0.6 | | | Maibara | Shiga |
| PA | Kanda PA | | 4.7 | X | | Nagahama | Shiga |
| 2 | Nagahama IC | Pref. Route 37 (Nakayama Higashi Kōsaka Route) | 9.6 | X | | Nagahama | Shiga |
| BS | Torahime Bus Stop | | | X | Closed | Nagahama | Shiga |
| 2-1/BS | Odanijō SIC Kohoku Bus Stop | Pref. Route 263 (Yōno Torahime Nagahama Route) (South-bound) Pref. Route 265 (Gōno Kohoku Route) (North-bound) | 16.4 | X | Bus Stop closed | Nagahama | Shiga |
| BS | Takatsuki Bus Stop | | | X | Closed | Nagahama | Shiga |
| 3 | Kinomoto IC | National Route 8 National Route 365 | 23.4 | X | | Nagahama | Shiga |
| SA | Shizugatake SA | | 25.6 | | | Nagahama | Shiga |
| BS/CB | Yogo Bus Stop Yogo Chain Base | | | X | Bus Stop closed | Nagahama | Shiga |
| BS/CB | Yogo-kita Bus Stop Yogo-kita Chain Base | | | X | Bus Stop closed | Nagahama | Shiga |
| PA | Tone PA | | 38.5 | X | | Tsuruga | Fukui |
| 3-1 | Tsuruga JCT | Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway | 45.4 | | | Tsuruga | Fukui |
| 4 | Tsuruga IC | National Route 8 (Tsuruga Bypass) | 46.6 | ○ | | Tsuruga | Fukui |
| BS/CB | Tajiri (South-bound) Akihara (North-bound) | | | X | Bus Stop closed | Tsuruga | Fukui |
| PA | Suizu PA | | 57.9 | X | | Tsuruga | Fukui |
| 5 | Imajō IC | National Route 305 National Route 365 | 68.2 | X | | Minamiechizen | Fukui |
| SA/ 5-1 | Nanjō SA/SIC | Pref. Route 203 (Ikeda Nanjō Route) | 71.4 72.1 | X | North-bound South-bound | Minamiechizen | Fukui |
| 6 | Takefu IC | Pref. Route 262 (Takefu Inter Higashi Route) Pref. Route 40 (Takefu Inter Route) | 80.6 | ○ | | Echizen | Fukui |
| 7 | Sabae IC | Pref. Route 105 (Sabae Imadate Route) Pref. Route 39 (Sabae Inter Route) | 86.2 | ○ | | Sabae | Fukui |
| PA | Kitasabae PA | | 88.6 | | | Sabae | Fukui |
| 8 | Fukui IC | National Route 158 | 97.2 | ○ | | Fukui | Fukui |
| 9 | Fukui-kita IC/JCT | Chūbu-Jūkan Expressway National Route 416 | 103.6 | ○ | | Fukui | Fukui |
| 10 | Maruoka IC | Pref. Route 38 (Maruoka Inter Route) | 110.4 | ○ | | Sakai | Fukui |
| PA | Onagatani PA | | 113.4 | | | Sakai | Fukui |
| 11 | Kanazu IC | Pref. Route 37 (Kanazu Inter Route) Pref. Route 124 (Ushinoya Teishajō Route) | 120.9 | | | Awara | Fukui |
| 12 | Kaga IC | Pref. Route 61 (Kaga Inter Route) | 128.2 | | | Kaga | Ishikawa |
| SA | Amagozen SA | | 136.6 136.9 | ○ | South-bound North-bound | Kaga | Ishikawa |
| 13 | Katayamazu IC | Pref. Route 20 (Komatsu Kaga Route) | 140.7 | | | Kaga | Ishikawa |
| PA/ 13-1 | Ataka PA/SIC | Pref. Route 20 (Komatsu Kaga Route) | 144.7 | | SIC: Maibara-bound Open 06:00-22:00 | Komatsu | Ishikawa |
| 14 | Komatsu IC | Pref. Route 25 (Kanazawa Mikawa Komatsu Route) | 149.3 | ○ | | Komatsu | Ishikawa |
| 14-1 | Nomineagari SIC | | 155.4 | | | Nomi | Ishikawa |
| 15 | Mikawa IC | Pref. Route 25 (Kanazawa Mikawa Komatsu Route) Pref. Route 58 (Tsurugi Mikawa Inter Route) | 160.3 | | | Hakusan | Ishikawa |
| PA/ 15-1 | Tokumitsu PA/SIC | Pref. Route 25 (Kanazawa Mikawa Komatsu Route) | 164.6 | ○ | Highway Oasis | Hakusan | Ishikawa |
| BS | Mattō Bus Stop | | 169.6 | X | closed by replacement | Hakusan | Ishikawa |
| 15-2 | Hakusan IC | Pref. Route 8 (Mattō Unoke Route) | 169.9 | ○ | incl. Mattō Bus Stop | Hakusan | Ishikawa |
| 16 | Kanazawa-nishi IC | National Route 8 (Kanazawa Bypass) Pref. Route 197 (Jichūnishi Kanazawa Route) | 172.5 | | | Kanazawa | Ishikawa |
| 17 | Kanazawa-higashi IC | National Route 8 (Kanazawa Bypass) | 180.1 | | | Kanazawa | Ishikawa |
| 17-1 | Kanazawa-morimoto IC | National Route 159 (Kanazawa Tōbu Kanjō Road) National Route 304 National Route 359 | 183.4 | | | Kanazawa | Ishikawa |
| PA | Fudōji PA | | 184.7 | | | Kanazawa | Ishikawa |
| 18 | Oyabe IC | Pref. Route 42 (Oyabe Fukumitsu Route) | 197.7 | | | Oyabe | Toyama |
| SA | Oyabegawa SA | | 199.8 | | | Oyabe | Toyama |
| 19 | Oyabe-Tonami JCT | Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway Nōetsu Expressway | 203.1 | | | Oyabe | Toyama |
| 19 | Oyabe-Tonami JCT | Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway Nōetsu Expressway | 203.1 | | | Tonami | Toyama |
| 20 | Tonami IC | National Route 359 | 207.1 | | | Tonami | Toyama |
| 20-1 | Takaoka-Tonami SIC | | 212.9 | ○ | | Tonami | Toyama |
| PA | Takaoka PA | | 216.1 | | | Takaoka | Toyama |
| 21 | Kosugi IC | National Route 472 | 221.5 | | | Imizu | Toyama |
| PA | Kureha PA | | 224.5 | | | Imizu | Toyama |
| 21-1 | Toyama-nishi IC | Pref. Route 41 (Shinminato Hiraoka Route) | 226.6 | | | Toyama | Toyama |
| 22 | Toyama IC | National Route 41 | 234.1 | | | Toyama | Toyama |
| 22-1/ PA | Nagaresugi PA/SIC | Pref. Route 56 (Toyama Kanjō Route) | 240.9 | | | Toyama | Toyama |
| 23 | Tateyama IC | Pref. Route 3 (Toyama Tateyama Uozu Route) | 246.4 | | | Tateyama | Toyama |
| | Kamiichi SIC | Pref. Route 148 (Kamiichi Mizuhashi Route) | 250.6 | | Opens in December 2020 | Kamiichi | Toyama |
| 24 | Namerikawa IC | Pref. Route 51 (Minowa Namerikawa Inter Route) | 254.5 | ○ | | Namerikawa | Toyama |
| SA | Arisoumi SA | | 258.2 | | Maibara-bound | Namerikawa | Toyama |
| SA | Arisoumi SA | | 261.6 | | Niigata-bound | Uozu | Toyama |
| 25 | Uozu IC | Pref. Route 52 (Ishigaki Uozu Inter Route) | 263.8 | | | Uozu | Toyama |
| 26 | Kurobe IC | Pref. Route 53 (Wakaguri Ikuji Route) | 273.4 | ○ | | Kurobe | Toyama |
| 26-1/ PA | Nyūzen PA/SIC | Pref. Route 63 (Nyūzen Unazuki Route) | 277.9 | | | Nyūzen | Toyama |
| 27 | Asahi IC | National Route 8 | 282.1 | | | Asahi | Toyama |
| PA | Etchūsakai PA | | 288.4 | | | Asahi | Toyama |
| 28 | Oyashirazu IC | National Route 8 | 299.3 | | | Itoigawa | Niigata |
| 29 | Itoigawa IC | National Route 148 | 311.9 | | | Itoigawa | Niigata |
| PA | Rendaiji PA | | 313.5 | | | Itoigawa | Niigata |
| BS | Hayakawa Bus Stop | | 318.0 | ○ | | Itoigawa | Niigata |
| 30 | Nou IC | Pref. Route 246 (Nishitobiyama Nō Route) Pref. Route 88 (Nō Inter Route) | 326.5 | ○ | | Itoigawa | Niigata |
| 31/SA | Nadachi Tanihama IC/ SA | Pref. Route 87 (Nadachi Tanihama Inter Route) | 341.6 | ○ | | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| 31-1 | Jōetsu JCT | Jōshin-etsu Expressway | 351.4 | | | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| BS | Kida Bus Stop | | 353.4 | ○ | | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| 32 | Jōetsu IC | National Route 18 (Jōshin Bypass) | 355.8 | | | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| BS | Kubiki Bus Stop | | 360.7 | ○ | | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| 32-1/ PA | Ōgata PA/SIC | Pref. Route 77 (Jōetsu Kubiki Ōgata Route) | 365.3 | | SIC: Open 06:00-22:00 | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| BS | Katamachi Bus Stop | | 367.9 | ○ | | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| 33 | Kakizaki IC | National Route 8 (Kakizaki Bypass) | 373.8 | ○ | | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| 34/SA | Yoneyama IC/ SA | National Route 8 | 385.2 | | SA: Niigata-bound | Kashiwazaki | Niigata |
| SA | Yoneyama SA | | 387.2 | | Maibara-bound | Kashiwazaki | Niigata |
| BS | Kamigata Bus Stop | | 393.5 | ○ | | Kashiwazaki | Niigata |
| 35 | Kashiwazaki IC | National Route 252 | 397.1 | | | Kashiwazaki | Niigata |
| BS | Sochi Bus Stop | | 402.8 | ○ | | Kashiwazaki | Niigata |
| PA | Kariwa PA | | 405.8 | | | Kariwa | Niigata |
| 36 | Nishiyama IC | Pref. Route 23 (Kashiwazaki Takahama Horinouchi Route) Pref. Route 393 (Raihai Nagaoka Route) | 407.8 | ○ | | Kashiwazaki | Niigata |
| PA | Ōzumi PA | | 414.9 | ○ | | Nagaoka | Niigata |
| 37 | Nagaoka JCT | Kan-Etsu Expressway | 421.6 | | | Nagaoka | Niigata |
| BS | Nagaoka-kita Bus Stop | | 423.9 | ○ | | Nagaoka | Niigata |
| 38 | Nakanoshima-Mitsuke IC | National Route 8 (Mitsuke Bypass) | 432.1 | | | Nagaoka | Niigata |
| 38-1/ PA | Sakae PA/SIC | | 441.5 | ○ | | Sanjō | Niigata |
| 39 | Sanjō-Tsubame IC | National Route 289 | 447.4 | ○ | | Tsubame | Niigata |
| 40 | Maki-Katahigashi IC | Pref. Route 9 (Nagaoka Tochio Maki Route) National Route 460 | 457.7 | ○ | | Nishikan-ku, Niigata | Niigata |
| 40-1/ PA | Kurosaki PA/SIC | Pref. Route 44 (Niigata Tsubame Route) Pref. Route 46 (Niigata Chūō Kanjō Route) | 467.1 | | SIC: Open 06:00-22:00 | Nishi-ku, Niigata | Niigata |
| BS | Toppara Bus Stop | | 471.0 | ○ | | Nishi-ku, Niigata | Niigata |
| 41 | Niigata-nishi IC | National Route 116 (Niigata Bypass) | 473.0 | | | Nishi-ku, Niigata | Niigata |
| 42 | Niigata-Chūō JCT | Ban-etsu Expressway | 476.5 | | | Kōnan-ku, Niigata | Niigata |
| Through to Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway ||||||||