# Jōshin-etsu Expressway

The Jōshin-etsu Expressway (上信越自動車道, Jōshin-etsu Jidōsha-dō) is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.

## Naming

Jōshin-etsu (上信越) is a kanji acronym consisting of 3 characters, each representing the former names of the prefectures that the route traverses. Kōzuke Province (上野国) consists of present-day Gunma Prefecture, Shinano Province (信濃国) consists of present-day Nagano Prefecture, and Echigo Province (越後国) consists of present-day Niigata Prefecture.
Officially, the expressway is referred to as the Kan-Etsu Expressway Jōetsu Route. This designation consists of the entire Jōshin-etsu Expressway as well as the Kan-Etsu Expressway beyond Fujioka Junction to Nerima Interchange (concurrent with the Kan-Etsu Expressway Niigata Route).

## Route description

The expressway begins at a junction with the Kan-Etsu Expressway in southern Gunma Prefecture and heads west, paralleling National Route 254 until Shimonita. From here the route branches north, passing Mount Myōgi, then heads west once more from Annaka. The route parallels National Route 18 from this point until the terminus. The expressway then follows a winding route through the mountainous area separating Gunma and Nagano Prefectures. From Saku, Nagano the route follows a northwesterly course, passing Mount Asama, until it reaches a junction with the Nagano Expressway near the city of Nagano. The route then heads north, following the east bank of the Chikuma River, before heading into the mountainous region separating Nagano and Niigata Prefectures. The expressway continues north through Niigata Prefecture, passing Mount Myōkō, and eventually terminating at a junction with the Hokuriku Expressway in Jōetsu near the Japan Sea coastline.
The expressway is 6 lanes from Fujioka Junction to Fujioka Interchange. The remaining section from Fujioka Interchange to Jōetsu Junction is 4 lanes, from 5 December 2019 according to E-NEXCO.

## History

The first section was completed in 1980 and the entire route was completed in 1999. On the night of 16 December 2020, about 300 vehicles were trapped on the expressway after a truck blocked it off due to it becoming stuck in the snow. In response, the company that manages the route supplied drivers who were stuck on the road until the next morning.

## List of interchanges and features

* IC - interchange, SIC - smart interchange, JCT - junction, SA - service area, PA - parking area, BS - bus stop, CB - snow chains, TN - tunnel, BR - bridge
| No. | Name | Connections | Dist. from Origin | Dist. from Terminus | Bus Stop | Notes | Speed Limit | Location | Location |
| (9) | Fujioka JCT | Kan-etsu Expressway | 0.0 | 204.9 | | | 80 km/h | Fujioka | Gunma |
| 1/PA | Fujioka IC/PA | Pref. Route 13 (Maebashi Nagatoro Route) | 1.8 | 203.1 | | Parking Area/Highway Oasis only accessible to Fujioka JCT-bound traffic | 80 km/h | Fujioka | Gunma |
| 1/PA | Fujioka IC/PA | Pref. Route 13 (Maebashi Nagatoro Route) | 1.8 | 203.1 | | Parking Area/Highway Oasis only accessible to Fujioka JCT-bound traffic | 100 km/h | Fujioka | Gunma |
| 2 | Yoshii IC | Pref. Route 41 (Kanda Yoshii Teishajō Route) | 11.2 | 193.7 | | | 100 km/h | Takasaki | Gunma |
| PA | Kanra PA | | 15.4 | 189.5 | | | 100 km/h | Kanra | Gunma |
| 3 | Tomioka IC | | 20.1 | 184.8 | ○ | | 100 km/h | Tomioka | Gunma |
| 4 | Shimonita IC | National Route 254 | 26.8 | 178.1 | ○ | | 100 km/h | Shimonita | Gunma |
| 5 | Matsuida-Myōgi IC Matsuida BS | Pref. Route 51 (Matsuida Shimonita Route) | 37.5 | 167.4 | ○ | | 100 km/h | Annaka | Gunma |
| 5 | Matsuida-Myōgi IC Matsuida BS | Pref. Route 51 (Matsuida Shimonita Route) | 37.5 | 167.4 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Annaka | Gunma |
| SA | Yokokawa SA | | 42.1 | 162.8 | | | 80 km/h | Annaka | Gunma |
| BR | Usui Bridge | | ↓ | ↑ | | | 80 km/h | Annaka | Gunma |
| TN | Takaiwayama Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 1,019m Jōetsu-bound 1,070m | 80 km/h | Annaka | Gunma |
| 6 | Usui-Karuizawa IC | Pref. Route 92 (Matsuida Karuizawa Route) | 52.5 | 152.4 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Annaka | Gunma |
| CB | Usui Chain Base | | ↓ | ↑ | | | 80 km/h | Annaka | Gunma |
| TN | Ōyama Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 1,722m Jōetsu-bound 1,625m | 80 km/h | Annaka | Gunma |
| TN | Ōyama Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 1,722m Jōetsu-bound 1,625m | 80 km/h | Shimonita | Gunma |
| TN | Nikkureyama Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 2,314m Jōetsu-bound 2,051m | 80 km/h | Shimonita | Gunma |
| TN | Takatachi Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 373m | 80 km/h | Shimonita | Gunma |
| TN | Happūzan Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 3,998m Jōetsu-bound 4,471m | 80 km/h | Shimonita | Gunma |
| TN | Happūzan Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 3,998m Jōetsu-bound 4,471m | 80 km/h | Saku | Nagano |
| CB | Kōsaka Chain Base | | ↓ | ↑ | | | 80 km/h | Saku | Nagano |
| TN | Akarusan Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 1,703m Jōetsu-bound 1,960m | 80 km/h | Saku | Nagano |
| 6-1/PA | Sakudaira PA/ SIC | | 68.4 | 136.5 | | Highway Oasis | 80 km/h | Saku | Nagano |
| 7 | Saku IC | Pref. Route 9 (Saku Karuizawa Route) | 71.3 | 133.6 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Saku | Nagano |
| 7-1 | Saku-Komoro JCT | Chūbu-Ōdan Expressway | 72.8 | 132.1 | | | 80 km/h | Komoro | Nagano |
| BS | Komoro-Kōgen BS | | 78.0 | 126.9 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Komoro | Nagano |
| 8 | Komoro IC | Pref. Route 79 (Komoro Ueda Route) | 82.1 | 122.8 | | | 80 km/h | Komoro | Nagano |
| 9/SA | Tōbu-Yunomaru IC/SA | Pref. Route 81 (Maruko Tōbu Inter Route) | 88.6 | 116.3 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Tōmi | Nagano |
| 10 | Ueda-Sugadaira IC | National Route 144 | 96.9 | 108.0 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Ueda | Nagano |
| TN | Tarōyama Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 4,264m Jōetsu-bound 4,303m | 80 km/h | Ueda | Nagano |
| TN | Tarōyama Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 4,264m Jōetsu-bound 4,303m | 80 km/h | Sakaki | Nagano |
| 11 | Sakaki IC | Pref. Route 91 (Sakaki Inter Route) | 104.8 | 100.1 | | | 80 km/h | Sakaki | Nagano |
| PA | Chikumagawa-Sakaki PA | | 106.2 | 98.7 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Sakaki | Nagano |
| TN | Gorigamine Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 4,518m Jōetsu-bound 4,474m | 80 km/h | Sakaki | Nagano |
| TN | Gorigamine Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 4,518m Jōetsu-bound 4,474m | 80 km/h | Chikuma | Nagano |
| TN | Mori Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 1,421m Jōetsu-bound 1,450m | 80 km/h | Chikuma | Nagano |
| BS | Yashiro BS | | 117.1 | 87.8 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Chikuma | Nagano |
| 12 | Kōshoku JCT | Nagano Expressway | 119.1 | 85.8 | | | 80 km/h | Chikuma | Nagano |
| 12 | Kōshoku JCT | Nagano Expressway | 119.1 | 85.8 | | | 100 km/h | Chikuma | Nagano |
| TN | Yakushiyama Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 1,212m Jōetsu-bound 1,181m | 100 km/h | Chikuma | Nagano |
| TN | Yakushiyama Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 1,212m Jōetsu-bound 1,181m | 100 km/h | Nagano | Nagano |
| PA | Matsushiro PA | | 123.2 | 81.7 | | | 100 km/h | Nagano | Nagano |
| 13 | Nagano IC | Pref. Route 35 (Nagano Sanada Route) | 125.1 | 79.8 | ○ | | 100 km/h | Nagano | Nagano |
| BS | Wakaho BS | | 130.2 | 74.7 | ○ | | 100 km/h | Nagano | Nagano |
| 14 | Suzaka-Naganohigashi IC | National Route 403 | 135.0 | 69.9 | | | 100 km/h | Nagano | Nagano |
| 14 | Suzaka-Naganohigashi IC | National Route 403 | 135.0 | 69.9 | | | 100 km/h | Suzaka | Nagano |
| BS | Suzaka BS | | 137.5 | 67.4 | ○ | | 100 km/h | Suzaka | Nagano |
| 14-1/PA | Obuse PA/ SIC | Pref. Route 343 (Murayama Obuse Teishajō Route) | 141.6 | 63.3 | | Highway Oasis | 100 km/h | Obuse | Nagano |
| BS | Obuse BS | | 143.2 | 61.7 | ○ | | 100 km/h | Obuse | Nagano |
| 15 | Shinshū-Nakano IC | Pref. Route 29 (Nakano Toyono Route) | 146.5 | 58.4 | | | 100 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| 15 | Shinshū-Nakano IC | Pref. Route 29 (Nakano Toyono Route) | 146.5 | 58.4 | | | 80 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| BS | Nakano BS | | 147.2 | 57.7 | ○ | | 80 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| BR | Kita-Chikumagawa Bridge | | ↓ | ↑ | | Length - 370m Chikuma River crossing | 80 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| CB | Kaesa Chain Base | | ↓ | ↑ | | | 80 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| 16 | Toyota-Iiyama IC | National Route 117 | 154.2 | 50.7 | | | 80 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| 16 | Toyota-Iiyama IC | National Route 117 | 154.2 | 50.7 | | | 70 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| BS | Toyota BS | | 155.0 | 49.9 | ○ | | 70 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| TN | Nagae Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | | 70 km/h | Nakano | Nagano |
| TN | Samizu Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 1,415m Jōetsu-bound 1,441m | 70 km/h | Iizuna | Nagano |
| TN | Yakushidake Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 2,320m Jōetsu-bound 2,362m | 70 km/h | Iizuna | Nagano |
| TN | Yakushidake Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Fujioka-bound 2,320m Jōetsu-bound 2,362m | 70 km/h | Shinano | Nagano |
| PA | Kurohime-Nojiriko PA | | 164.3 | 40.6 | | | 70 km/h | Shinano | Nagano |
| BS | Kashiwabara BS | | 166.2 | 38.7 | ○ | | 70 km/h | Shinano | Nagano |
| 17 | Shinanomachi IC | National Route 18 (Nojiri Bypass) | 167.4 | 37.5 | | | 70 km/h | Shinano | Nagano |
| BR | Reimei Bridge | | ↓ | ↑ | | Length - 370m Seki River crossing | 70 km/h | Shinano | Nagano |
| BR | Reimei Bridge | | ↓ | ↑ | | Length - 370m Seki River crossing | 70 km/h | Myōkō | Niigata |
| 18 | Myōkōkōgen IC | National Route 18 (Myōkō Nojiri Bypass) Pref. Route 187 (Ikenotaira Myōkōkōgen Route) | 172.5 | 32.4 | | | 70 km/h | Myōkō | Niigata |
| BS | Myōkōkōgen BS | | ↓ | ↑ | X | Bus Stop closed | 70 km/h | Myōkō | Niigata |
| SA | Myōkō SA | | 179.9 | 25.0 | X | Bus Stop closed | 70 km/h | Myōkō | Niigata |
| 19 | Nakagō IC | National Route 18 (Jōshin Bypass) | 184.5 | 20.4 | | | 70 km/h | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| BS | Nakagō-kita BS | | ↓ | ↑ | X | Bus Stop closed | 70 km/h | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| 19-1/PA | Arai PA/ SIC | Pref. Route 428 (Nishinoyashinden Arai Route) | 191.9 | 13.0 | X | Highway Oasis Bus Stop closed | 70 km/h | Myōkō | Niigata |
| TN | Kannondaira Tunnel | | ↓ | ↑ | | Length - 1,502m | 70 km/h | Myōkō | Niigata |
| 20 | Jōetsu-Takada IC | Pref. Route 85 (Jōetsu-Takada Inter Route) | 199.0 | 5.9 | | | 70 km/h | Jōetsu | Niigata |
| (31-1) | Jōetsu JCT | Hokuriku Expressway | 204.9 | 0.0 | | | 70 km/h | Jōetsu | Niigata |
There are also 2 snow chain changing areas between Toyota-Iiyama Interchange and Kurohime-Nojiriko Parking Area, and 1 area between Sakaki Interchange and Ueda-Sugadaira Interchange (Fujioka-bound only).