Driving in Japan | Route 148 | Important highway connecting Hokuriku and Kanto in the snow

Route 148 is a general national highway that runs from the intersection of Routes 147 and 406 in Ōmachi City, Nagano Prefecture to the intersection of Route 8 in Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture.
Almost the entire route follows the JR Ōito Line and the Hime River.
In the past, this route was a difficult route in areas with heavy snowfall, but now tunnels and snowsheds have been constructed, and it is now a major trunk road that connects the Hokuriku and Kanto regions and is passable year-round.
It is commonly known as the "Chikuni Kaidō," "Itoigawa Kaidō," or "Matsumoto Kaidō".
It is also called the "Shio no Michi (Salt road)" because it was an important road for
transporting salt in the old days.
Departure : Route 148 End point (Yokomachi Intersection = Route 8 intersection) - Yokomachi, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture
Arrival : Route 148 Start point (Daikoku-chō intersection = Route 147/406 intersection) - Ōmachi, Ōmachi City, Nagano Prefecture
Date : Early February, 2023
Distance : Approximately 70 km (as measured by Google Maps)
Route traveled: www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/emb...
List of roads traveled: mesorian.com/national-highway
00:00:00 Opening
00:02:08 Route 148 End point (Yokomachi intersection = Route 8 intersection) - Yokomachi, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture
00:04:20 E8 HOKURIKU EXPWY, Itoigawa IC - Uekari, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture
00:06:12 Himekawa Station (Ōito Line) - Ōno, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture
00:10:39 Nakayama Bridge (Hime River) - Ōno, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture
00:13:24 Nechigawa Bridge (Nechi River) - Negoya, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture
00:17:22 Taishō Bridge (Hime River) - Kotaki, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture
00:26:12 Hiraiwa Parking - Yamanobō, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture
00:30:33 Kokkai Bridge (Gamahara Stream) / Yuzawa Tunnel - Border: Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture → Otari Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
00:31:39 Shiozaka Tunnel - Kitaotari, Otari Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
00:34:09 Roadside Station Otari - Shimotera, Kitaotari, Otari Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
00:36:31 Sotozawa Tunnel - Nakatsuchi, Otari Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
00:43:52 Minamiotari Post Office - Nakaotari, Otari Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
00:50:16 Hakuba Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
00:56:32 Route 406 Intersection - Hokujō, Hakuba Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
01:02:09 Kamishiro Post Office - Kamishiro, Hakuba Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
01:02:55 Roadside Station Hakuba - Kamishiro, Hakuba Village, Kitaazumi County, Nagano Prefecture
01:07:58 Taira, Ōmachi City, Nagano Prefecture
01:10:59 Yanaba Ski Resort *Not in operation after the 2015-2016 season. Nearest station is discontinued. - Taira, Ōmachi City, Nagano Prefecture
01:17:46 Inao Station (Ōito Line) - Taira, Ōmachi City, Nagano Prefecture
01:24:37 Route 148 Start point (Daikoku-chō intersection = Route 147 and 406 Start point) - Ōmachi, Ōmachi City, Nagano Prefecture

[@tokyo-hikyo]

一番好きなコースを動画にして頂きありがとうございます。姫川沿いは厳しい環境の中、毎年来るたびに変化する光景は、自然の中に対応していると感じます。

[@roadsexplore]

Very nice national road, with a good alignment, with many tunnels. Incredible the ammount of snow there, there is also snow at sea level. I am living in Germany at 670m altitude, and we had just for 2 weeks snow during this winter. Thanks a lot for the video, had a great time joining you on this trip, greetings froma roadtripper from Germany!

[@mesorian]

This road runs through a heavy snowfall area in Japan, so there is far more snow than in this video during the main winter season.
It used to be a very difficult course, but with the construction of tunnels and snowsheds, it is now passable all year round.

[@brommer1755]

👍👏👏🚘🗾

[@NationalRoute]

サムネイル
　×長野県糸魚川市
　○長野県大町市
です！

[@mesorian]

ご指摘ありがとうございます！
動画完成直後にサムネイルを作ると疲労と油断で特に間違えます！修正しました。

[@happyanimefun793]

Arigato!