Meishin Expressway

Meishin Expressway
名神高速道路
Route information
Maintained by the Central Nippon Expressway Company and the West Nippon Expressway Company
Length:	193.9 km (120.5 mi)
Existed:	July 16, 1963 – present
Major junctions
From:	Komaki, Aichi ((24) Komaki IC)
To:	Nishinomiya, Hyōgo((38) Nishinomiya IC)
Highway system
National highways of Japan Expressways of Japan

The Meishin Expressway (名神高速道路, Meishin Kōsoku-dōro^?) (=193.9 km) is a toll expressway in Japan. It runs from a junction with the Tomei Expressway in Nagakute, Aichi (outside Nagoya) west to Nishinomiya, Hyōgo (between Osaka and Kobe). It is the main road link between Osaka and Nagoya, and, along with the Tōmei Expressway, forms the main road link between Osaka and Tokyo. East of the Chūgoku Expressway near Osaka, it is part of Asian Highway Network (AH1).

The part east of interchange 29 (Yōkaichi) is owned by the Central Nippon Expressway Company; the rest is owned by the West Nippon Expressway Company.

The Meishin Expressway was the first expressway in Japan, with a section near Osaka and Kyoto opening July 16, 1963.

The Meishin Expressway parallels the old Nakasendō between Kyoto and Nagoya, now Route 8 and Route 21. The Meihan National Highway is a mostly non-tolled freeway between Osaka and Nagoya, lying further south and built to lower standards. The Shin-Meishin Expressway is an under-construction route between Osaka and Nagoya, lying between the two other high-speed roads, that will connect to the Second Tomei Expressway (via the Isewangan Expressway) and the Sanyō Expressway. It roughly parallels the old Tōkaidō (Route 1).

During the Great Hanshin Earthquake of January 17, 1995, the Meishin Expressway was lightly damaged but could only be used by emergency vehicles for weeks after the earthquake. It was the only remaining link between Osaka and Kobe for some time after the quake.

Exit list

Interchanges not yet opened are shown with a red background. Exit numbers continue from the sequence of the Tomei Expressway.

Number	km	Name	Intersecting routes	Opened	Notes
Tomei Expressway for Shizuoka and Tokyo
24		Komaki IC (小牧)	Nagoya Expressway Route 11 (Komaki Route) Route 41	April 25, 1968
25		Ichinomiya IC (一宮)	Nagoya Expressway Route 16 (Ichinomiya Route) Route 22	September 6, 1964
25-1		Ichinomiya JCT (一宮)	Tōkai-Hokuriku Expressway	December 13, 1998
25-2		Gifu Hashima IC (岐阜羽島)		March 24, 1983
26		Ōgaki IC (大垣)	Route 258	September 6, 1964
		Yōrō JCT (養老)	Tōkai-Kanjō Expressway (planned)
27		Sekigahara IC (関ヶ原)	Route 365	April 12, 1964
27-1		Maihara JCT (米原)	Hokuriku Expressway	April 7, 1980
28		Hikone IC (彦根)	Route 306	April 12, 1964
29		Yōkaichi IC (八日市)	Route 421	April 12, 1964
29-1		Ryūō IC (竜王)	Route 477	August 28, 1981
		Rittō-higashi (栗東東)	Koka Konan Road (planned for FY 2013)
30		Rittō IC (栗東)	Route 1/Route 8	July 16, 1963	Japan's first Expressway opened From here to Nishinomiya(I.C.).
30-1		Kusatsu JCT (草津)	Shin-Meishin Expressway connection	March 19, 2005
30-2		Seta-higashi IC (瀬田東 Seta East)	Keiji Bypass Route 1 (Keiji Bypass)	August 29, 1988	westbound exit and eastbound entrance
30-2		Seta-nishi IC (瀬田西 Seta West)	Shiga Prefectural Route 57 (Seta-nishi Interchange Route)	January 8, 1980	eastbound exit and westbound entrance
31		Ōtsu IC/SA (大津)	Shiga Prefectural Route 56 (Otsu Interchange Route)	July 16, 1963
32		Kyoto Higashi IC (京都東 Kyoto East)	Kyoto Prefectural Route 143 (Shinomiya-Yotsuzuka Route, Sanjo Street) Route 1 (Gojo Bypass) Route 161(Nishi-Otsu bypass)	July 16, 1963
		Kyoto Minami JCT (京都南 Kyoto South)	Hanshin Expressway Route 8 Kyoto Line (planned for FY 2021)
33, 33-1 (First Exit), 33-2 (Second Exit)		Kyoto Minami IC (京都南 Kyoto South)	Route 1 (Keihan Road)	July 16, 1963	split into 33-1 and 33-2 eastbound
33-3		Ōyamazaki JCT/IC (大山崎)	Keiji Bypass Kyoto-Jūkan Expressway (planned) Route 171	August 10, 2003 (local access December 24, 2003)	Left route
		Takatsuki Second JCT (高槻第二)	Shin-Meishin Expressway connection (planned for FY 2016)
34		Ibaraki IC (茨木)	Route 171	July 16, 1963
35		Suita JCT/IC (吹田)	Chūgoku Expressway Kinki Expressway Osaka Prefectural Route 2	March 1, 1970
36		Toyonaka IC (豊中)	Hanshin Expressway Route 11 Ikeda Line Osaka Prefectural Route 10 (Osaka-Ikeda Route)	July 16, 1963
37		Amagasaki IC (尼崎)	Hyogo Prefectural Route 13 (Amagasaki-Ikeda Route)	July 16, 1963
38		Nishinomiya IC (西宮)	Hanshin Expressway Route 3 Kobe Line Route 43	September 6, 1964	westbound exit and eastbound entrance; Japan's first Expressway opened From here to Ritto(I.C.).

See also

• Transport in Greater Nagoya
• Transport in Greater Osaka