Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway

The Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway (日本海東北自動車道) is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.

Naming
The course of the expressway takes it alongside the coastline of the Sea of Japan (Nihonkai) in the Tōhoku region of Japan.

The Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway is the operating name for the sections of the Nihonkai Engan Tōhoku Expressway that are operated by East Nippon Expressway Company. The Nihonkai Engan Tōhoku Expressway is an official designation consisting of several routes that link Niigata with Aomori via Yamagata and Akita, reaching a total of approximately 322 km.

Overview
The first section of the expressway was opened to traffic in 2001. As of March 2008 the expressway incomplete in many areas. The next section is scheduled to open in 2009 (Nakajō Interchange to Arakawa Interchange) to coincide with the National Sports Festival which is planned to be held in Niigata that year. After this, all future sections 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 Honjō Interchange and Iwaki Interchange operates according to this principle.

The expressway is 4 lanes from Niigata-Chūō Junction to Toyosaka Service Area, and 2 lanes for all remaining sections.

The route parallels the Uetsu Main Line of East Japan Railway Company and National Route 7 for much of its length.

List of interchanges and features

 * IC - interchange, SIC - smart interchange, JCT - junction, SA - service area, PA - parking area, BS - bus stop, TB - toll gate, BR - bridge, TN - tunnel

Niigata section
{| class="wikitable" !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|No. !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Name !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Connections !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Dist. from Origin !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Dist. from Terminus !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Bus Stop !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Notes !colspan="2" style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Location (all in Niigata) !style="background-color: #BFB;"|(42) !style="background-color: #BFB;"|1[43] !style="background-color: #BFB;"|1-1/BS !style="background-color: #BFB;"|2[44] !style="background-color: #BFB;"|2-1/SA !style="background-color: #BFB;"|BS !style="background-color: #BFB;"|3 Niigatahigashikō IC]] !style="background-color: #BFB;"|4 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|BS !style="background-color: #BFB;"| Authorized vehicles only !style="background-color: #BFB;"|5 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|TB !style="background-color: #BFB;"|BS !style="background-color: #BFB;"|6 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|PA/BS !style="background-color: #BFB;"|7 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|8 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|9 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|10 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|11
 * colspan="8" style="text-align: center;"|'''Through to JP Expressway E8.svg Hokuriku Expressway
 * colspan="8" style="text-align: center;"|'''Through to JP Expressway E8.svg Hokuriku Expressway
 * Niigata-Chūō JCT
 * [[Image:JP Expressway E49.svg|25px|link=|alt=E49]] Ban-etsu Expressway
 * style="text-align: center;"|0.0
 * style="text-align: center;"|67.5
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;"|Kōnan-ku, Niigata
 * rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;"|Kōnan-ku, Niigata
 * Niigata-Kameda IC
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0049.svg|20px]] National Route 49
 * style="text-align: center;"|3.2
 * style="text-align: center;"|64.3
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Niigata-Higashi SIC/Nishino Bus Stop
 * Pref. Route 4 (Niigata Port Yokogo Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|7.4
 * style="text-align: center;"|60.1
 * style="text-align: center;"|○
 * Niigata Airport IC
 * Pref. Route 16 (Niigata Kameda Uchino Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|9.2
 * style="text-align: center;"|58.3
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Toyosaka SA/SIC
 * Pref. Route 27 (Niigata Yasuda Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|11.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|55.8
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * SIC: Nakajō-bound exit, Niigata-bound entrance only
 * rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;"|Kita-ku, Niigata
 * Kuzutsuka Bus Stop
 * style="text-align: center;"|16.6
 * style="text-align: center;"|50.9
 * style="text-align: center;"|○
 * style="text-align: center;"|○
 * [[Toyosaka-Niigatahigashikō Interchange|Toyosaka-
 * Pref. Route 46 (Niigata Chūō Kanjō Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|18.3
 * style="text-align: center;"|49.2
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Seirō-Shibata IC
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0007.svg|20px]][[Image:Japan road sign 325.svg|20px]] National Route 7 (Niigata Bypass)
 * style="text-align: center;"|25.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|41.8
 * style="text-align: center;"|○
 * rowspan="1" style="text-align: center;"|Seirō
 * rowspan="1" style="text-align: center;"|Seirō
 * Kajikawa-Shiunji Bus Stop
 * style="text-align: center;"|31.6
 * style="text-align: center;"|35.9
 * style="text-align: center;"|○
 * rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|Shibata
 * rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|Shibata
 * rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"|Shibata
 * Emergency Exit
 * style="text-align: center;"|↓
 * style="text-align: center;"|↑
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="background-color: #d3d3d3"|Access for Shibata Hospital
 * style="background-color: #d3d3d3"|Access for Shibata Hospital
 * Nakajō IC
 * Pref. Route 591 (Nakajō Inter Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|36.9
 * style="text-align: center;"|30.6
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;"|Tainai
 * rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;"|Tainai
 * Nakajō Toll Gate
 * style="text-align: center;"|37.0
 * style="text-align: center;"|30.5
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Tainai Bus Stop
 * style="text-align: center;"|41.4
 * style="text-align: center;"|26.1
 * style="text-align: center;"|○
 * style="text-align: center;"|○
 * Arakawa-Tainai IC
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0113.svg|20px]] National Route 113
 * style="text-align: center;"|46.6
 * style="text-align: center;"|20.9
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * rowspan="7" style="text-align: center;"|Murakami
 * rowspan="7" style="text-align: center;"|Murakami
 * Arakawa PA/BS
 * style="text-align: center;"|49.1
 * style="text-align: center;"|18.4
 * style="text-align: center;"|X
 * Bus Stop closed
 * Bus Stop closed
 * Kamihayashi-Iwafunekō IC
 * style="text-align: center;"|53.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|13.8
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Murakami-Senamionsen IC
 * Pref. Route 286 (Iwafune Port Route) Pref. Route 531 (Murakami Kamihayashi Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|57.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|9.8
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Murakami-Saberi IC
 * Pref. Route 207 (Ōkurida Murakami Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|61.4
 * style="text-align: center;"|6.1
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="background-color: #ffdddd"|Asahi-bound exit, Murakami-bound entrance only
 * Asahi-Miomote IC
 * Pref. Route 349 (Tsuruoka Murakami Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|63.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|4.2
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="background-color: #ffdddd"|Asahi-bound exit, Murakami-bound entrance only
 * Asahi-Mahoroba IC
 * Pref. Route 208 (Koage Sarusawa Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|67.5
 * style="text-align: center;"|0
 * style="text-align: center;"|

Yamagata section
{| class="wikitable" !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|No. !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Name !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Connections !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Dist. from Origin !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Dist. from Terminus !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Bus Stop !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Notes !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Location (all in Yamagata) !style="background-color: #BFB;"|13 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|14 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|15 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|PA !style="background-color: #BFB;"|16 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|17 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|18 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|19 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|19-1 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|20 !style="background-color:#ffdead;"| !style="background-color:#ffdead;"| !style="background-color: #ffdead;"|
 * Atsumi-Onsen IC
 * Pref. Route 348 (Atsumigawa Kinomata Oiwagawa Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|104.2
 * rowspan="6" style="text-align: center;"|Tsuruoka
 * rowspan="6" style="text-align: center;"|Tsuruoka
 * rowspan="6" style="text-align: center;"|Tsuruoka
 * rowspan="6" style="text-align: center;"|Tsuruoka
 * Iragawa IC
 * Pref. Route 61 (Sugenodai Katanorizawa Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|112.1
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Atsumi-bound exit, Tsuruoka-bound entrance only
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Atsumi-bound exit, Tsuruoka-bound entrance only
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Atsumi-bound exit, Tsuruoka-bound entrance only
 * Sanze IC
 * style="text-align: center;"|116.9
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Atsumi-bound exit, Tsuruoka-bound entrance only
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Atsumi-bound exit, Tsuruoka-bound entrance only
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Atsumi-bound exit, Tsuruoka-bound entrance only
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Atsumi-bound exit, Tsuruoka-bound entrance only
 * Yabiki PA
 * style="text-align: center;"|121.5 121.6
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Tsuruoka-bound Atsumi-bound Ordinary cars only
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Tsuruoka-bound Atsumi-bound Ordinary cars only
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Tsuruoka-bound Atsumi-bound Ordinary cars only
 * style="background:#ffdddd;"|Tsuruoka-bound Atsumi-bound Ordinary cars only
 * Tsuruoka-nishi IC
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0007.svg|20px]] National Route 7
 * style="text-align: center;"|125.4
 * Tsuruoka JCT
 * [[Image:JP Expressway E48.svg|25px|link=|alt=E48]] Yamagata Expressway
 * style="text-align: center;"|130.1
 * Atsumi ←→ Yamagata Expwy: No access
 * Atsumi ←→ Yamagata Expwy: No access
 * Atsumi ←→ Yamagata Expwy: No access
 * Shōnai Airport IC
 * Pref. Route 33 (Shōnai Airport Tachikawa Route) – Shonai Airport
 * style="text-align: center;"|138.8
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;"|Sakata
 * rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;"|Sakata
 * Sakata IC/Toll Gate
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0007.svg|20px]] National Route 7 Pref. Route 40 (Sakata Matsuyama Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|144.9
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Sakata-chuo IC
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0047.svg|20px]] National Route 47
 * style="text-align: center;"|149.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Sakata-Minato IC
 * Pref. Route 59 (Sakata Yahata Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|156.4
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|Yuza-Hiko IC
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|[[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0007.svg|20px]] National Route 7
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|Planned
 * rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;"|Yuza
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|Yuza-Jurizuka IC
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|[[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0007.svg|20px]] National Route 7
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|Planned
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|Yuza-Chokai IC
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|[[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0345.svg|20px]] National Route 345
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|Planned

Akita section
{| class="wikitable" !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|No. !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Name !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Connections !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Dist. from Origin !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Dist. from Terminus !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Bus Stop !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Notes !style="border-bottom:3px solid green;"|Location (all in Akita) !style="background-color: #BFB;"|11 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|12 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|13 !style="background-color: #BFB;"| !style="background-color: #BFB;"|PA !style="background-color: #BFB;"|14 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|14-1 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|14-2 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|TN !style="background-color: #BFB;"|15 !style="background-color: #ffdead;"| !style="background-color: #BFB;"|TB !style="background-color: #BFB;"|16 !style="background-color: #BFB;"|5-1
 * Kisakata IC
 * Pref. Route 58 (Kisakata Yashima Route)
 * style="text-align: center;|0.0
 * style="text-align: center;|64.5
 * style="text-align: center;|
 * rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;"|Nikaho
 * rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;"|Nikaho
 * Konoura IC
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0007.svg|20px]] National Route 7
 * style="text-align: center;"|6.8
 * style="text-align: center;"|57.7
 * Nikaho IC
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0007.svg|20px]] National Route 7
 * style="text-align: center;"|13.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|50.8
 * style="background-color:#CCC;"|(Ryōzenji temporary IC)
 * style="background-color:#CCC;"|
 * style="text-align: center;background-color:#CCC;"|15.0
 * style="text-align: center;background-color:#CCC;"|49.5
 * style="background-color:#CCC;"|
 * style="background-color:#CCC;"|Abolished on 27 October 2012
 * Nishime PA
 * style="text-align: center;"|20.0
 * style="text-align: center;"|44.5
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * rowspan="6" style="text-align: center;"|Yurihonjō
 * rowspan="6" style="text-align: center;"|Yurihonjō
 * rowspan="6" style="text-align: center;"|Yurihonjō
 * Honjō IC
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0107.svg|20px]] National Route 107
 * style="text-align: center;"|26.2
 * style="text-align: center;"|38.3
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Ōuchi JCT
 * [[Image:Japanese National Route Sign 0105.svg|20px]] National Route 105
 * style="text-align: center;"|35.4
 * style="text-align: center;"|29.1
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Matsugasaki-Kameda IC
 * style="text-align: center;"|40.3
 * style="text-align: center;"|22.2
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Futago Tunnel
 * style="text-align: center;"|↓
 * style="text-align: center;"|↑
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Iwaki IC
 * Pref. Route 44 (Yūwa Iwaki Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|45.8
 * style="text-align: center;"|16.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|Yūwa PA
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="text-align: center; background-color:#ffdead;"|
 * style="background-color:#ffdead;"|Open in 2020
 * rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;"|Akita
 * Akita Airport Toll Gate
 * style="text-align: center;"|59.7
 * style="text-align: center;"|2.8
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Akita Airport IC
 * Pref. Route 61 (Akita Goshono Yūwa Route)
 * style="text-align: center;"|60.1
 * style="text-align: center;"|2.4
 * style="text-align: center;"|
 * Kawabe JCT
 * JP Expressway E7.svg Akita Expressway
 * style="text-align: center;"|64.5
 * style="text-align: center;"|0.0
 * style="text-align: center;"|