is a national highway in the

Japanese prefectures 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 ...

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The lar ...

and Aomori. Route 338 stretches from National Route 5 in

Hakodate, Hokkaido is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture. As of July 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 279,851 with 143,221 households, and a population density of 412.83 ...

south across the

Tsugaru Strait The is a strait between Honshu and Hokkaido in northern Japan connecting the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean. It was named after the western part of Aomori Prefecture. The Seikan Tunnel passes under it at its narrowest point 12.1 miles (1 ...

by ferry to Ōma, Aomori, around the western, southern, and eastern edges of the Shimokita Peninsula and finally to

Oirase is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 25,149, and a population density of 350 persons per km², in 10,423 households. The total area of the town is . Geography Oirase is located on the eastern ...

Route description

Hakodate

National Route 338 begins at an intersection with National Route 5 in central

Hakodate is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture. As of July 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 279,851 with 143,221 households, and a population density of 412.8 ...

east of

Hakodate Station is a railway station on the Hakodate Main Line in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan, operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). Lines *South Hokkaido Railway Company Dōnan Isaribi Tetsudō Line (Normally ends at Goryōkaku, but trains ge ...

as part of an unsigned concurrency with National Route 279. The highway travels southwest along city streets through the city, then curves to the northwest, and turns northeast towards the former site of the city's ferry terminal, which was moved to the northwest of

. The highway's brief route in Hokkaido ends at the former terminal, which has since been converted into a retail area. Aside from the last of the highway near the ferry terminal, the highway also carries the Main Line of the Hakodate City Tram in its median.

Aomori Prefecture

The highway is next carried south across the Tsugaru Strait via the

Tsugaru Kaikyō Ferry The is a privately owned ferry service crossing the Tsugaru Strait, which separates Hokkaido from Honshu. The ferries run two routes: Hakodate to Aomori and Hakodate to Ōma. Routes Hakodate—Aomori This route links the Port of Hakodate i ...

to Ōma on the northern tip of

Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the eas ...

's Shimokita Peninsula. From the route's northern terminus in Hakodate to Ōma, National Route 338 runs concurrent with National Route 279; however, in Ōma, National Route 279 leaves the concurrency, travelling southeast towards Mutsu while National Route 338 heads south towards the village of Sai. After passing through Sai, the highway enters the western edge of Mutsu and turns east towards the center of the city. In Mutsu, national routes 279 and 338 briefly meet again, sharing a short concurrency. After leaving the concurrency, National Route 338 continues its path southeast across the peninsula while National Route 279 heads south towards

Noheji is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 12,956, and a population density of 168 persons per km2 in 6,466 households. The total area of the town is . Geography Noheji occupies the southeastern coa ...

at the southern base of the peninsula. National Route 338 parallels the Pacific coast for the rest of its route south through

Higashidōri is a village located in Aomori, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 5,913 in 2829 households, and a population density of 20 persons per km² . Its total area is . Geography Higashidōri occupies the northeastern coastline of S ...

, Rokkasho, and Misawa before terminating in Oirase.

History

National Route 338 was established by the Cabinet of Japan in 1975 between Hakodate and Oirase which was then the town of Shimoda, in Aomori.

Major intersections

References

External links

* {{National Routes of Japan, 338 338 Roads in Aomori Prefecture Roads in Hokkaido