is a
Japanese highway from
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
to
Sendai
is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,091,407 in 525,828 households, and is one of Japan's 20 Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, desig ...
that goes through the cities
Mito
Mito may refer to:
Places
*Mito, Ibaraki, capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
*Mito, Aichi, a Japanese town
*Mito, Shimane, a Japanese town
* Mitō, Yamaguchi, a Japanese town
* Mito District, a district in the province of Concepción, Per ...
,
Iwaki and
Sōma. It traces the old
Mito Kaidō was an old road, '' kaidō,'' in Japan starting from the center of Edobashi (today’s Nihonbashi). It was built to connect Edo with Mito in modern-day Ibaraki Prefecture. Travelers from Edo called it the Mito Kaidō, but travelers from Mito called ...
route from Tokyo to Mito,
[Chiba Kokaidō Rekishi Sanpo](_blank)
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Accessed 28 December 2007. and, for much of its route, it runs parallel to the
Jōban railway line and the
Jōban Expressway
The , abbreviated , is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company. It is signed E6 under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's "2016 Proposal for Realization of Expressway N ...
.
Route description
Originating in
Chūō, Tokyo
is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward that forms part of the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself in English as Chūō City. It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Kyōbashi, Tokyo, Kyobashi and Nihonbashi wards following Tokyo C ...
(at
Nihonbashi
is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603. The current ...
, which also marks the origins of Routes
1,
4,
14,
15,
17 and
20), it ends in
Miyagino-ku, Sendai
is the northeastern ward of the city Sendai, in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the ward had a population of 196,086 and a population density of 3370 persons per km2 in 91322 households. The total area of the ward was .
Geography
Miyagino-ku is loc ...
(at the Nigatake interchange, junction with
Route 45, also the origin of
Route 47)
Major cities and villages it passes through include:
Kashiwa
is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 433,436 in 194,216 households and a population density of 3800 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
The name of the city is written with a si ...
,
Toride
file:Oohorinowatashi 001.JPG, 260px, Ohori-no-watashi
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 104,329 in 44,755 households and a population density of 1492 persons per km². The p ...
,
Tsuchiura
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 138,033 in 60,069 households and a population density of 1123 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 29.7%. Th ...
,
Ishioka
260px, Ishioka City Hall
is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 72,351 in 28,291 households and a population density of 336 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was ...
,
Mito
Mito may refer to:
Places
*Mito, Ibaraki, capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
*Mito, Aichi, a Japanese town
*Mito, Shimane, a Japanese town
* Mitō, Yamaguchi, a Japanese town
* Mito District, a district in the province of Concepción, Per ...
,
Hitachi
() is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is the parent company of the Hitachi Group (''Hitachi Gurūpu'') and had formed part of the Ni ...
,
Iwaki,
Tomioka,
Ōkuma Okuma or Ōkuma may refer to:
Surname
*Ōkuma Shigenobu (大隈重信) (1838 – 1922) 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan, founder of Waseda University
*Enuka Okuma, Canadian actress of Nigerian descent
Other uses
*Okuma Corporation, a manufactu ...
,
Sōma,
Watari,
Iwanuma
270px, Iwanuma City Hall
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 43,946 in 18,062 households, and a population density of 730 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Iwanuma is at the ...
The actual terminus is
Iwanuma
270px, Iwanuma City Hall
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 43,946 in 18,062 households, and a population density of 730 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Iwanuma is at the ...
in
Miyagi Miyagi may refer to:
Places
* Miyagi Prefecture, one of the 47 major divisions of Japan
* Miyagi, Gunma, a village in Japan, merged into Maebashi in 2004
*Miyagi District, Miyagi, a district in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Other uses
* Miyagi (surna ...
(at the Fujinami intersection) which is the junction of Routes 4 and 6. In the areas north of Iwanuma which overlap with the Route 4, signboards for Route 6 are not posted. The distance from Tokyo to Iwanuma is . This is equivalent to the distance from Mito to
Kakegawa
is a city in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 117,925 in 45,519 households. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kakegawa is in the coastal plains of southwest Shizuoka Prefecture. It is border ...
/
Ichinoseki
is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. , the city had a population of 114,476 and a population density of 91 persons per km² in 46,375 households. It is currently the second largest city by population in ...
.
Overlapping sections
The following sections of Route 6 overlap with other routes:
*In
Chuo, Tokyo, from the origin point to Muromachi intersection:
Route 17
*In Chuo, Tokyo, from the origin point to Honchō 3-chōme intersection:
Route 4
*In Chuo, Tokyo, from the origin point to Asakusa-bashi intersection:
Route 14
*From
Kashiwa, Chiba
is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 433,436 in 194,216 households and a population density of 3800 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
The name of the city is written with a si ...
to
Toride
file:Oohorinowatashi 001.JPG, 260px, Ohori-no-watashi
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 104,329 in 44,755 households and a population density of 1492 persons per km². The p ...
:
Route 294
*In
Tsuchiura
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 138,033 in 60,069 households and a population density of 1123 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 29.7%. Th ...
:
Route 125 and
Route 354
*In
Ishioka
260px, Ishioka City Hall
is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 72,351 in 28,291 households and a population density of 336 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was ...
:
Route 355
Effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
One side of National Route 6 is known as the "nuclear dense zone".
Tōkaimura (the first
nuclear power plant of Japan),
Ōkuma Okuma or Ōkuma may refer to:
Surname
*Ōkuma Shigenobu (大隈重信) (1838 – 1922) 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan, founder of Waseda University
*Enuka Okuma, Canadian actress of Nigerian descent
Other uses
*Okuma Corporation, a manufactu ...
(center of the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
The was a nuclear accident in 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan. The proximate cause of the disaster was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which occurred on the afternoon of 11 March 2011 and ...
) and
Naraha (location of the
Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant
The is a nuclear power plant located on a site in the town of Naraha and Tomioka in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) runs the plant.
After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, ...
) are located on adjacent of Route 6.
Due to the nuclear disaster, access is prohibited to a zone of radius from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. National Route 6 was blocked for non-authorized traffic between
Hirono (the
Iwaki side) and
Haranomachi (the
Sōma side). The ban was lifted in September 2014 after the road decontamination, and vehicles (with exception of motorcycles and bicycles) are now allowed on the stretch of road.
History
National Route 6 is a part of the lengthened
Tōkaidō which connects the
Kansai region (Kinai), or
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
and
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
in particular, and the Pacific coast of Tōhoku (called the
Tagajō
is a city located in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 62,869 in 27,869 households, and a population density of 3,200 people per km². The total area of the city is . The city was named after Taga Castle, the ca ...
). During the
Ritsuryō
, , is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei" (律令制). ''Kyaku'' (格) are amendments of Ritsuryō, ''Shiki'' ( ...
period, roads from Kinai to the Tagajō were divided into two: the ''
Tōkaidō'' eastern sea road (via
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...
,
Hamamatsu
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. the city had an estimated population of 791,707 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, and a population density of . The total area of the site was .
Overview
...
,
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
and
Mito
Mito may refer to:
Places
*Mito, Ibaraki, capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
*Mito, Aichi, a Japanese town
*Mito, Shimane, a Japanese town
* Mitō, Yamaguchi, a Japanese town
* Mito District, a district in the province of Concepción, Per ...
) and the ''
Tōsandō
is a Japanese geographical term. It means both an ancient division of the country and the main road running through it. It is part of the ''Gokishichidō'' system. It was situated along the central mountains of northern Honshu, specifically th ...
'' eastern mountain road (via
Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku ...
,
Shiojiri,
Takasaki
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as the hometown of th ...
and
Utsunomiya
is the prefectural capital city of Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 519,223, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Utsunomiya is famous for its ''gyoza'' ...
). During the foundation of Kamakura Kanagawa, Ritsiryō Tōkaidō was divided into two roads: the ''westward Tōkaidō'' which connects southern
Kantō (Kamakura,
Edo
Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo.
Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...
, Tokyo) and Kyoto, and the ''northward Tōkaidō'' which connects southern Kantō and Pacific coasts of Tōhoku. Since the foundation of Edo, Tōkaidō was narrowed by the
Tokugawa Shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
, the ''westward Tōkaidō'' functioned as a seaside road to Kyoto and the ''northward Tōkaidō'' functioned as one to the Pacific coasts of Tōhoku.
On 4 December 1952 the Ritsuryō Tōkaidō north of Tokyo was designated First Class National Highway 6, while the other section was designated as
National Route 1. On 1 April 1965 the route was re-designated as General National Highway 6. On 12 March 2011, access to a large section of National Route 6 was restricted due to the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
The was a nuclear accident in 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan. The proximate cause of the disaster was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which occurred on the afternoon of 11 March 2011 and ...
between
Hirono and
Haranomachi.
List of major junctions
*
Route 16 in
Kashiwa
is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 433,436 in 194,216 households and a population density of 3800 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
The name of the city is written with a si ...
:
Ōmiya, Saitama was a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
On May 1, 2001, Ōmiya was merged with the cities of Urawa and Yono to create the city of Saitama.
Since April 1, 2003, the area of former Ōmiya City has been divided into 4 wards: Kita-ku, Mi ...
(west) and
Chiba
Chiba may refer to:
Places China
* (), town in Jianli County, Jingzhou, Hubei
Japan
* Chiba (city), capital of Chiba Prefecture
** Chiba Station, a train station
* Chiba Prefecture, a sub-national jurisdiction in the Greater Tokyo Area on ...
(southeast)
*
Route 125 in
Tsuchiura
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 138,033 in 60,069 households and a population density of 1123 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 29.7%. Th ...
:
Koga, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 138,446 in 56,097 households and a population density of 1120 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 28.98%. The total area of ...
and
Kumagaya
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 195,277 in 87,827 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kumagaya is one of the largest c ...
(west) and
Kashima, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 67,197 in 28,873 households and a population density of 634 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 31.5%. The total area of th ...
and
Katori, Chiba
is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 74,469 in 31,113 households and a population density of 280 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Katori Shrine is in the city of Katori, as is ...
(east)
*
Route 50
The following highways are numbered 50:
International
* European route E50
Brazil
* BR-050
Canada
* Alberta Highway 50
* Manitoba Highway 50
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 50
* Ontario Highway 50 (Also referred to as Peel Regional Road 50 ...
in
Mito, Ibaraki
is the capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 269,330 in 123,282 households and a population density of 1239 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged o ...
:
Utsunomiya
is the prefectural capital city of Tochigi Prefecture in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 519,223, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Utsunomiya is famous for its ''gyoza'' ...
,
Oyama, Tochigi
is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 167,647 in 70,928 households, and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is . In 2006, Oyama became the second most pop ...
, and
Takasaki
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as the hometown of th ...
*
Route 51 in Mito: Kashima and
Narita
*
Route 461 in
Takahagi:
Ōtawara
270px, View from the ruins of Ōtawara Castle
is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 72,189 in 30,136 households, and a population density of 210 persons per km2. The total area of the city is ...
,
Nikkō
is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 80,239 in 36,531 households, and a population density of 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is a popular destination for Japanese and ...
, and
Numata, Gunma
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 46,908 in 20,589 households, and a population density of 110 persons per km². The total area of the city is , making it the largest city in ...
*
Route 289 in
Nakoso (southern Iwaki):
Shirakawa,
Tajima, and
Tadami, Fukushima
is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the town has an estimated population of 4,117 in 1749 households, of which 45.88% were classified as "elderly households" The town had a population density of 5.5 persons per km2. The total are ...
*
Route 49 in
Iwaki, Fukushima
is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , Iwaki had a population of 337,765 in 143,500 households, and population density of 270 persons per km2. The total area of the city is , making it the largest city in the prefecture and the 10th ...
:
Kōriyama
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 322,996 people in 141760 households, and a population density of 430 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Kōriyama is designated as a core city and ...
,
Aizuwakamatsu
is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 118,159 in 50,365 households, and a population density of 310 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Geography
Aizuwakamatsu is located in the west ...
, and
Niigata
*
Route 288 in
Ōkuma, Fukushima
is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. In 2010, the town had a population of 11,515. However, the town was totally evacuated in the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and residents were permitted return during daylig ...
: Kōriyama, Aizuwakamatsu, and Niigata
*
Route 115 in
Sōma, Fukushima
is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 34,631, and a population density of 180 persons per km2 in 14,358 households. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Sōma is located in northeastern ...
:
Fukushima (Nakadōri),
Inawashiro
is a town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 13,810 in 5309 households, and a population density of 35 persons per km². The total area of the town was . It is noted as the birthplace of the famous ...
, and
Yonezawa
Yonezawa City Hall
is a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Yonezawa is most famous for ...
,
Murakami
*
Route 113 in
Shinchi, Fukushima
is a Towns of Japan, town located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the town has an estimated population of 8,152, and a population density of in 2832 households. The total area is .
Geography
Shinchi is located in the far northeastern Hamadō ...
:
Shiroishi, Miyagi
is a city in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 33,330 and a population density of 120 persons per km2 in 14,242 households. The total area of the city is .
Geography
Shiroishi is in southern Miyagi Prefecture, i ...
,
Nanyō, Yamagata, and
Murakami
See also
*
*
References
External links
*
{{National Routes of Japan, 6
006
Roads in Chiba Prefecture
Roads in Ibaraki Prefecture
Roads in Fukushima Prefecture
Roads in Miyagi Prefecture
Roads in Tokyo