The is one of the

expressways of Japan The of Japan make up a large network of controlled-access toll expressways. History Following World War II, Japan's economic revival led to a massive increase in personal automobile use. However the existing road system was inadequate t ...

from Kitakyūshū (and the bridge to

Honshū , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...

) to east of

Kagoshima , abbreviated to , is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern wor ...

linking with the

Kyushu Expressway ( Asian Highway Network ) is one of the Expressways of Japan from Kitakyūshū (and the bridge to Honshū) to west of Kagoshima linking with the Higashikyushu Expressway and the Ibusuki Skyline. It runs through the prefectures of Fukuoka Pref ...

. It runs north to south, through the prefectures of

Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...

, Oita, Miyazaki and the

prefectures. The freeway runs entirely on the island of

Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surround ...

. The total length is 500 km.

Overview

The first section of the expressway was opened to traffic in 1999. As of March 2009 the expressway incomplete in many areas. The next section is scheduled to open in 2010 ( Soo Yagorō Interchange to Sueyoshi Takarabe Interchange). After this, Most of the incomplete areas will be built according to the New Direct Control System, whereby the burden for construction costs will be shared by the national and local governments and no tolls will be collected. Currently the section between Saiki Interchange and Nobeoka Minami Interchange, and Kanoya Kushira Junction and Sueyoshi Takarabe Interchange operates according to this principle. The expressway is 4 lanes from Kitakyushu Junction to Kanda Kitakyushu-kūkō Interchange and Hiji Junction to Ōita Miyagawachi Interchange, and 2 lanes for all remaining sections. The route parallels the

Nippō Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, in southern Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). The line connects Kokura Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima via the east coast of Kyushu, passing through the pr ...

Kyushu Railway Company The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait ...

and National Route 10 for much of its length.

History

* December 15, 1994, a section from Hiji Junction to Hayami Interchange was opened to traffic. * November 27, 1999, a section from Oita Mera to Oita Miyagawachi Interchanges was opened to traffic. * March 4, 2000, a section from Kokubu to Hayato Higashi Interchange was opened to traffic with another freeway. * March 25, 2000, a section from Miyazaki Nishi Interchange to Kiyotake Junction was opened to traffic. * March 31, 2001, a section from Saito to Miyazaki Nishi Interchange was opened to traffic. * April 18, 2001, the Oita Nogyo Bunka Koen Interchange was opened. * December 19, 2001, the Kajiki Junction was opened to traffic with another freeway. * December 27, 2001, a section from Oita Miyagawachi to Tsukumi Interchanges was opened to traffic. * March 2, 2002, a section from Sueyoshi Takarabe to Kokubu Interchanges was opened to traffic. * March 30, 2002, the Hiji Junction was opened to traffic with another freeway. * February 26, 2006, a section from Kitakyushu Junction to Kanda Kitakyushu Airport Interchange was opened to traffic. * June 28, 2008, a section from Tsukumi to Saiki Interchange was opened to traffic. * March 14, 2010, a section from Soo Yagoro to Sueyoshi Takarabe Interchange was opened to traffic. * July 17, 2010, a section from Takanabe to Saito Interchange was opened to traffic. * December 14, 2010, a section from Kadogawa to Hyuga Interchange was opened to traffic with another freeway. * December 15, 2012, a section from Sumie to Kitagawa Interchange was opened to traffic. * December 22, 2012, a section from Tsuno to Takanabe Interchange was opened to traffic. * February 16, 2013, a section from Kamae to Kitaura Interchange was opened to traffic. * March 23, 2013, a section from Kiyotake Junction to Kiyotake Minami Interchange was opened to traffic. * March 8, 2014, a section from Kitaura to Sumie Interchange was opened to traffic. * March 16, 2014, a section from Hyuga to Tsuno Interchange was opened to traffic. * March 23, 2014, a section from Kanda Kitakyushu Airport to Yukuhashi Interchange was opened to traffic. * December 13, 2014, a section from Yukuhashi to Miyako Toyotsu Interchange was opened to traffic with another freeway. * December 13, 2014, the Shiida Minami Interchange was opened. * December 21, 2014, a section from Kanoya Kushira Junction to Soo Yagoro Interchange was opened to traffic. * December 21, 2014, the Kanoya Kushira Junction was opened to traffic with another freeway. * March 1, 2015, a section from Buzen to Usa Interchanges was opened to traffic with another freeway. * March 21, 2015, a section from Saiki to Kamae Interchanges was opened to traffic. * April 28, 2015, the Imagawa Parking Area and the Yukuhashi Imagawa Bus Stop was opened. * April 24, 2016, a section from Shiida Minami to Buzen Interchange was opened to traffic which made the Higashikyushu Expressway from Kitakyushu to Miyazaki fully accessible with no gaps. * March 25, 2017, the Kadogawa Minami Smart Interchange was opened. * March 11, 2018, a section from Nishinan Kitago to Nichinan Togo Interchanges was opened to traffic. * August 5, 2018, a section from Hiji Junction to Oita Mera Interchange is incorporated as part of the Higashikyushu Expressway. * August 5, 2018, the Beppuwan Smart Interchange was fully accessible. * October 6, 2019, the Kunitomi Smart Interchange was opened.

Interchanges

* IC - interchange, SIC -

smart interchange A is a feature of Japanese expressways that provides exclusive access to and from the expressway for vehicles equipped with electronic toll collection (ETC). The feature increases accessibility to and from the expressway in less-populated areas ...

, JCT -

junction Junction may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Junction'' (film), a 2012 American film * Jjunction, a 2002 Indian film * Junction (album), a 1976 album by Andrew Cyrille * Junction (EP), by Basement Jaxx, 2002 * Junction (manga), or ''Hot ...

, SA -

service area Service area may refer to: * Rest area A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary r ...

, PA -

parking area A parking lot (American English) or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface ...

, BS -

bus stop A bus stop is a place where buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelters, seating, and possibly electronic passenger ...

, TN -

tunnel A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...

, BR -

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

, TB -

toll gate Toll Gate or Tollgate may refer to: * Toll gate, a barrier across a toll road or toll bridge that is lifted when the toll is paid Entertainment * "Tollgate" (Hale single) * ''The Toll-Gate'', a 1954 novel by Georgette Heyer * ''The Toll Gate'', ...

Overview

History

Interchanges

Between Kitakyushu Junction and Aburatsu Interchange

Between Aburatsu and Natsui Interchanges

Between Shibushi Interchange and Kajiki Junction