Japan National Route 42

National Route 42 (国道42号), also called Kumano Kaidō or Tropical Route is a national highway connecting Hamamatsu, Shizuoka and Wakayama, Wakayama in Japan. Part of the route requires crossing Ise Bay on the Ise-wan Ferry.

It is the 8th longest national highway in Japan.

Route data

 * Length: 504.6 km (313.5 mi)
 * Origin: Hamamatsu (originates at junction with Route 1)
 * Terminus: Wakayama
 * Major cities: Tahara, Toba, Ise, Matsusaka, Owase, Kumano, Shingū, Tanabe, and Gobō

History
Route 42 was originally designated in January 1945 as a section of Route 41 (the Kumano Highway), which ran to Tokyo. This ran concurrent with Route 1 (now Route 1/Route 23). On 18 May 1953 Route 41 was classified as a Class 2 highway and redesignated as Route 170, which was later redesignated as Route 42 when the route was promoted to a Class 1 highway.

Passes through

 * Shizuoka Prefecture
 * Hamamatsu • Kosai
 * Aichi Prefecture
 * Toyohashi • Tahara
 * Mie Prefecture
 * Toba • Ise • Meiwa • Matsusaka • Taki • Ōdai • Taiki • Kihoku • Owase • Kumano • Mihama • Kihō
 * Wakayama Prefecture
 * Shingū • Nachikatsuura • Taiji • Kushimoto • Susami • Shirahama • Minabe • Inami • Gobō • Hidaka • Yura • Hirogawa • Yuasa • Aridagawa • Arida • Kainan • Wakayama

Intersects with

 * Shizuoka Prefecture
 * Route 1
 * Route 257
 * Route 301
 * Aichi Prefecture
 * Route 259
 * Mie Prefecture
 * Route 167
 * Route 23
 * Route 166
 * Ise Expressway
 * Route 368
 * Kisei Expressway
 * Route 260
 * Route 425
 * Route 311
 * Route 309
 * Route 311
 * Wakayama Prefecture
 * Route 168
 * Route 371
 * Route 311
 * Hanwa Expressway
 * Route 424
 * Route 425
 * Yuasa-Gobō Bypass
 * Route 480
 * Route 24
 * Route 26