Japan National Route 280

National Route 280 (国道280号, Kokudō Nihyaku hachi-jugō) is a national highway of Japan that traverses the prefectures, Aomori and Hokkaido as well as the Tsugaru Strait that separates them. It currently is made up of two sections that travel 150.7 kilometres (93.6 mi) from Aomori, north across the Tsugaru Peninsula to Sotogahama where the first section ends at the site of a former ferry to across the Tsugaru Strait to the town, Fukushima. The other section begins at the corresponding former ferry terminal in Fukushima. The road then travels alongside the southern coast of Hokkaido concurrently with National Route 228 to Hakodate where the route meets its northern terminus.

National Route 280 shield
National Route 280
国道280号
Map
Japan National Route 280 highlighted in red
R280 By Pass Imabetsu.JPG
Route information
Length171.7 km[1] (106.7 mi)
Distance does not include the defunct Minmaya-Fukushima ferry route, but does include bypasses signed with the same route number
Existed1 April 1970–present
Major junctions
North end National Route 5
in Hakodate, Hokkaido
Major intersections
South end National Route 7
in Aomori, Aomori
Location
CountryJapan
Highway system
National Route 279 National Route 281

National Route 280's path across Aomori and Hokkaido follows one of the oldest roads in northern Japan, the Matsumaedō. It was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu for government officials traveling through the area as a branch of the Edo Five Routes and it had some defensive importance to the Japanese who feared a Russian incursion into Ezo, which was ruled by the Matsumae clan.[2]

Route description

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Aomori Prefecture

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The southern terminus of Japan National Route 280 in Aomori

The southern terminus of National Route 280 lies at an intersection with National Route 7 just over 500 metres (1,600 ft) southwest of Aomori Station to the west of the central district of Aomori. From there, the route generally travels northwest through the city streets as it makes its way out of the city. Near Aburakawa Station, the route begins closely paralleling the coast of Aomori Bay, it continues paralleling the coast throughout its path on the Tsugaru Peninsula. In Minmaya at the northern end of the peninsula, the roadway designation switches to National Route 339. At this point a ferry once carried the route across the Tsugaru Strait, but it has ceased operation.[3]

Hokkaido

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National Route 280's path through Hokkaido begins at the port where the ferry from Minmaya used to travel to in Fukushima. The road briefly travels southwest to National Route 228. From that junction, National Route 280 runs concurrently with National Route 228 the rest of the way to its northern terminus in Hakodate. The routes run parallel to the southern coast of Hokkaido along the Tsugaru Strait on their way to Hakodate. The northern terminus of National Route 280 lies about 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) north of Hakodate Station at a junction with National Route 5.[4]

History

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What is known today as National Route 280 was originally established during the Edo period by Tokugawa Ieyasu as the Matsumaedō. Its primary purpose was for government officials traveling through the area as a branch of the Ōshū Kaidō, one of the Edo Five Routes connecting the capital to the rest of Japan. It also had defensive importance to the Japanese who feared a Russian incursion into Ezo, which was ruled by the Matsumae clan; however, the main threat to Japanese control of the area was rebellion by the native Ainu.[2][5]

National Route 280 was established by the Cabinet of Japan along the Edo period road and the ferry linking Sotogahama and Fukushima in 1970.[6] The ferry service along National Route 280 was discontinued in 1998, leaving the non-contiguous sections of the route without a direct road link.[7]

List of major junctions

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All junctions listed are at-grade intersections unless noted otherwise.

PrefectureLocationkmmiDestinationsNotes
AomoriAomori0.00.0   National Route 7 (Aomori West Bypass) / National Route 101 – Towada, Central Aomori, Shin-Aomori Station, Aomori-chūōSouthern terminus
4.42.7Aomori Prefecture Route 234 south – Shinjo, National Route 7
4.83.0Aomori Prefecture Route 26 west – Goshogawara
10.56.5Aomori Prefecture Route 2 west – Tsugaru, Goshogawara
Sotogahama26.716.6Aomori Prefecture Route 12 (Yamanami Line) west – Tappi, Nakadomari
Imabetsu60.637.7Aomori Prefecture Route 14 – Aomori, Sotogahama, Imabetsu town office
Sotogahama64.840.3Aomori Prefecture Route 230 – Minmaya Station
66.341.2  National Route 339 south / Aomori Prefecture Route 230Northern terminus of Aomori Prefecture segment; roadway continues as National Route 339
Tsugaru Strait66.3
83.3
41.2
51.8
  Sanpuku Ferry (defunct)
HokkaidoFukushima83.351.8Southern terminus of Hokkaido segment
83.752.0  National Route 228Southern terminus of National Route 228 concurrency
84.652.6Hokkaido Route 532 east – IwabeSouthern terminus of Hokkaido Route 532 concurrency
85.152.9Hokkaido Route 532 westNorthern terminus of Hokkaido Route 532 concurrency
98.060.9Hokkaido Route 812 north
Shiriuchi100.862.6Hokkaido Route 698 east
110.268.5Hokkaido Route 531 south – Kotaniishi
110.868.8Hokkaido Route 698 west
Kikonai117.372.9Hokkaido Route 383 north – Esashi, Central Kikonai
119.774.4Hokkaido Route 5 west – Esashi, Kikonai Station
Hokuto138.886.2  Hokkaido Route 29 west – Central Moheji, Hakodate-Esashi Expressway (northbound)
143.088.9  Hakodate-Esashi ExpresswayE59 exit 4 (Hokuto-Tomigawa Interchange); entrance to northbound E59, exit from southbound E59
150.793.6  National Route 227 west – Sapporo, Esashi, Hakodate-Esashi ExpresswaySouthern terminus of National Route 227 concurrency
Hakodate153.295.2Hokkaido Route 347 east
150.793.6  National Route 5 / Hokkaido Route 571 east – Oshamambe, Mori, Mount Hakodate, Hakodate Station, Yunokawa, Goryōkaku ParkNorthern terminus; eastern terminus of National Routes 227 and 228; roadway continues as Hokkaido Route 571
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "一般国道の路線別、都道府県別道路現況" [Road statistics by General National Highway route and prefecture] (PDF) (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b Marius B. Jansen (2000). The Making of Modern Japan (PDF). Psychology Press. pp. 258–264.
  3. ^ "Route 280 in Aomori Prefecture" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Route 280 in Hokkaido" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  5. ^ Brett L. Walker (2001). The Conquest of Ainu Lands: Ecology and Culture in Japanese Expansion 1590–1800. University of California Press. pp. 49–56, 61–71. ISBN 978-0-520-93299-9.
  6. ^ "一般国道の路線を指定する政令" (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 September 2019 – via Wikisource.
  7. ^ "東日本フェリー「幻の佐井航路」は実在したのか" (in Japanese). 12 September 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
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