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| Japan National Route 139 | |
|---|---|
| Country | JPN |
| Type | National |
| Route | 139 |
| Length km | 107.2 |
| Established | 1953 |
| Direction a | South |
| Terminus a | Shimoda, Shizuoka |
| Direction b | North |
| Terminus b | Kōfu, Yamanashi |
| Prefectures | Shizuoka, Yamanashi |
Japan National Route 139 is a national highway in Japan connecting Shimoda on the Izu Peninsula with Kōfu in central Yamanashi Prefecture. The route traverses coastal plains, volcanic terrain around Mount Fuji, and inland river valleys, serving as a vital link for tourism, industry, and local communities between Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture. Managed by agencies including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and regional road bureaus, the highway intersects major arterials such as Route 1, Chūō Expressway, and Tōmei Expressway corridors.
The highway begins at a junction in Shimoda near Shimoda Port and proceeds northward through coastal towns including Izu and Itō, skirting the eastern flank of the Izu Peninsula and linking seaside resorts such as Atami and Jogasaki Coast. Continuing inland, it climbs through volcanic foothills adjacent to Hakone and traverses landscapes influenced by Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes region, passing near Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, and Lake Motosu. The route follows river valleys of the Kamo River (Shizuoka) and Fuefuki River, entering Yamanashi via mountain passes and descending into the Kōfu Basin to terminate in Kōfu. Along its course, it connects with regional roads serving municipalities such as Mishima, Numazu, Susono, Fujinomiya, Nagaizumi, Shimizu, Nishikatsura, and Minobu, and provides access to attractions like Hakone Shrine, Fuji-Q Highland, Shiraito Falls, and Narusawa Ice Cave.
Designated in the postwar reclassification of 1953, the route evolved from Edo-period travel paths linking the Tōkaidō coastal corridor with inland Kai Province routes to Kai Castle and Kōfu Domain centers. Modern upgrades in the 1960s and 1970s paralleled development of the Tōmei Expressway and the expansion of the Shinkansen network, prompting road widening near urban nodes like Atami Station and Mishima Station. Flood events such as the 1972 Typhoon Kathy and seismic activity related to the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake and regional tremors around Mount Fuji necessitated retrofitting and slope stabilization projects. The 1990s and 2000s saw integration with tourism initiatives tied to UNESCO recognition campaigns for Mount Fuji and infrastructure improvements ahead of events like the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami recovery period, influencing emergency route planning and disaster resilience measures coordinated with Shizuoka Prefectural Police and Yamanashi Prefectural Police.
National Route 139 intersects numerous national and regional arteries, including junctions with Route 135 near Shimoda, Route 414 in Izu, Route 1 and connections to the Tōmei Expressway corridor near Numazu, interchange linkages to the Chūō Expressway and Chūō Main Line transport corridors around Kōfu, and crossings with Route 52 and Route 300. Key urban intersections occur at nodes adjacent to Atami Station, Ito Station, Fujinomiya Station, and Kōfu Station, facilitating transfers with rail services such as the JR Tōkai network, JR East, the Izuhakone Railway, and private lines serving Hakone Tozan Railway and Fujikyuko Line corridors.
Traffic composition varies seasonally: summer and autumn bring heavy tourist flows to Izu Peninsula, Hakone, and the Fuji Five Lakes—generated by visitors from Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, and Osaka—while weekdays reflect commuter patterns between suburban municipalities and regional employment centers like Fujinomiya and Kōfu. Freight traffic includes shipments to Numazu Port and industrial facilities in Shimizu and Fuji City, with logistics operators such as Yamato Transport and Sagawa Express utilizing sections of the route. Safety statistics compiled by prefectural transport bureaus highlight accident hotspots at mountain curves near Narusawa and urban junctions in Atami and Kōfu, prompting speed management and signage upgrades coordinated with agencies including the National Police Agency.
Planned investments target capacity and safety: widening schemes near Itō and bypass construction around congested town centers like Fujinomiya are under consideration by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and prefectural governments. Projects include seismic strengthening to standards adopted after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and installation of ITS (intelligent transportation systems) elements interoperable with networks used in Tokyo Metropolitan Area traffic management centers and Chubu Regional Development Bureau initiatives. Coordination with environmental bodies such as Ministry of the Environment aims to mitigate impacts on sensitive areas like Aokigahara and watercourses feeding Lake Kawaguchi, while tourism-driven enhancements seek to improve access to sites promoted by Japan National Tourism Organization.
Auxiliary alignments include local bypasses around urban centers and designated scenic detours providing direct access to attractions like Hakone Open-Air Museum, Owakudani, and the Fuji Subaru Line. Municipalities such as Susono and Nagaizumi manage short connector roads that relieve pressure on the mainline during peak seasons, and emergency diversion routes are maintained to link with expressway interchanges at Gotemba and Fujinomiya Interchange. Coordination with railway projects—such as station area redevelopments at Mishima Station and Fujinomiya Station—influences auxiliary route planning to optimize multimodal transfers for passengers and freight operators including JR Freight.
Category:Roads in Shizuoka Prefecture Category:Roads in Yamanashi Prefecture