is a

national highway National highway or National Highway may refer to: * National Highways (England) * National Highway (Australia) * List of National Roads in Belgium * Brunei National Roads System * National Highway System (Canada) * Trans-Ca ...

in the

Japanese prefecture Japan is divided into 47 prefectures (, ''todōfuken'', ), which rank immediately below the national government and form the country's first level of jurisdiction and administrative division. They include 43 prefectures proper (, ''ken''), two ...

Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of ...

. Route 394 stretches 185 km (115 miles) from National Routes 279 and

338 __NOTOC__ Year 338 ( CCCXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ursus and Polemius (or, less frequently, year 1091 ' ...

in Mutsu southwest to National Route 7 in

Hirosaki is a city located in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. On 1 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 168,739 in 71,716 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Hirosaki developed as a castle town for ...

Route description

The route has a total length of 185 km (114.95 mi). It travels southwest across Aomori Prefecture connecting the cities of Mutsu and

by traveling over the

Hakkōda Mountains The are an active volcanic complex in south-central Aomori Prefecture, Japan, in Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Often called or simply , the mountains are collectively listed as one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. Its highest peak, ...

in the center of the prefecture.

History

National Route 394 was designated as route connecting Mutsu to Aomori in 1982; however, many of the sections of roadway that make up the highway predate this designation, including a bridge along the highway over Lake Ogawara that was built in 1958. Its routing has changed since its designation. In Shichinohe, the road used to parallel National Route 4 and National Route 45 for a short distance until March 2015. In the same town on 27 November 2018, the route was moved slightly to the west to better facilitate the junction between it and the Kamikita Expressway.

Future

Improvements on the highway near the interchange with the Kamikita Expressway continue. A project to straighten a section of the road north of the junction is planned by the government of Aomori Prefecture.

Major junctions and features

The route lies entirely within Aomori Prefecture. Distance markers reflect distance traveled from the junction with National Route 338 in

Rokkasho is a village in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 10,200, and a population density of 40 persons per km², in 4,855 households. The total area of the village is . Geography Rokkasho occupies the eastern coa ...

References

{{National Routes of Japan, 394 National highways in Japan Roads in Aomori Prefecture