Japan National Route 39

National Route 39 (国道39号, Kokudō Sanjūkyū-gō) is a Japanese national highway connecting the two cities of Asahikawa and Abashiri in northeastern Hokkaido. The 215.7-kilometer-long (134.0 mi) highway begins at an intersection with National Routes 12 and 40 in Asahikawa. It travels northeast across the northern side of Hokkaido to Abashiri where it ends at an intersection with the paired National Route 244 and National Route 391.

National Route 39
国道39号
Japan National Route 39 highlighted in red
Route information
Length	215.7 km[1] (134.0 mi)
Existed	4 December 1952–present
Major junctions
West end	National Route 12 / National Route 40 in Asahikawa
Major intersections	Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway National Route 273 / National Route 333 National Route 242 National Route 333 Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway National Route 334 National Route 240 / National Route 243 National Route 238 / National Route 239 / National Route 242
East end	National Route 244 / National Route 391 in Abashiri
Location
Country	Japan
Highway system
National highways of Japan Expressways of Japan
← National Route 38 → National Route 40

Route description

National Route 39 is a 215.7-kilometer-long (134.0 mi) highway in northern Hokkaido that runs north from Asahikawa to Abashiri. Its southern terminus lies at an intersection in central Asahikawa where it meets National Routes 12 and 40. Along the way from Asahikawa to Abashiri, it passes through the town of Kamikawa and the city of Kitami. Its northern terminus in Abashiri is at an intersection where it meets National Route 244 and National Route 391.^[2]

History

National Route 39 was preceded by the Abashiri Road, a Meiji period road built to link the current cities of Asahikawa and Abashiri. Ordered by Genrōin secretary Kaneko Kentarō, construction on the road began in April 1886. It was completed by making use of prison labor from the prisoners that were to be incarcerated at Abashiri Prison in northeastern Hokkaido. The prison laborers were mainly political dissidents that Kaneko viewed as morally deficient.^[3] Construction of the Abashiri Road and the others leading from the more-developed southern part of Hokkaido to the prison were of strategic importance to Japan, which viewed Hokkaido as being vulnerable to an invasion from their neighbor, the Russian Empire.^[4]

On 4 December 1952 the highway was designated by the Cabinet of Japan as Primary National Highway 39 between Asahikawa and Abashiri.^[5] On 1 April 1965 it was reclassified as General National Highway 39 without any changes being made to its routing.^[6]

Major junctions

The route lies entirely within Hokkaido.

Location	km[7]	mi	Destinations	Notes
Asahikawa	0.0	0.0	National Route 12 south (Yonjō-dōri) – Sapporo, Fukagawa National Route 40 north (Shōwa-dōri) – Nayoro, Shibetsu	Western terminus; end of National Route 333 concurrency; highway continues south as National Route 12
	0.3	0.19	Hokkaido Route 20 south (Midoribashi-dōri) – Asahikawa Station
	2.3	1.4	Hokkaido Route 140 east (Kamui Asahiyama-dōri) – Asahiyama Zoo	Western end of Hokkaido Route 140 concurrency
	2.9	1.8	Hokkaido Route 140 east (Kinseibashi-dōri)	Eastern end of Hokkaido Route 140 concurrency
	5.4	3.4	Hokkaido Route 90 – to Dō-Ō Expressway, National Route 40, National Route 237, Asahikawa Airport, Ryutsudanchi
	7.4	4.6	National Route 12 south (Asahikawa Shindō) – to Dō-Ō Expressway, National Route 40, Sapporo, Fukagawa
	8.8	5.5	Hokkaido Route 37 – to Dō-Ō Expressway, National Route 40, Asahikawa Airport, Takasu, Higashikagura, Asahiyama Zoo
	11.7	7.3	Hokkaido Route 761 west
Tōma	14.7	9.1	Hokkaido Route 1122 east – Tōma Station	Western end of Hokkaido Route 1122 concurrency
	16.4	10.2	Hokkaido Route 1122 west – to Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway, National Route 40, Pippu	Eastern end of Hokkaido Route 1122 concurrency
Pippu	No major junctions
Aibetsu	26.6	16.5	Hokkaido Route 101 north – Shimokawa Hokkaido Route 140 west – to Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway, Daicolo-Aibetsu Airport, Aibetsu Station
	35.0	21.7	Hokkaido Route 640 east – Koshiji
	37.6	23.4	Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway – to Dō-Ō Expressway, Asahikawa	E39 exit 2-1 (Aizan Kamikawa Interchange); entrance to westbound E39, exit from eastbound E39
	39.2	24.4	Hokkaido Route 223 north – Antaroma Station	Western end of Hokkaido Route 223 concurrency
Kamikawa	40.4	25.1	Hokkaido Route 223 south – Aizankei Onsen	Eastern end of Hokkaido Route 223 concurrency
	45.9	28.5	Hokkaido Route 300 north – Central Kamikawa Hokkaido Route 849 east – to Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway
	47.4	29.5	National Route 273 north / National Route 333 east – Monbetsu, Engaru	Western end of National Route 273 concurrency, eastern end of National Route 333 concurrency
	54.0	33.6	Hokkaido Route 849 west – Kikusui
	70.3	43.7	National Route 273 south – Obihiro, Nukabira Gensenkyo	Eastern end of National Route 273 concurrency
Kitami	116.0	72.1	Hokkaido Route 88 south – Tsunemoto, Kanoko Dam
	125.8	78.2	Hokkaido Route 247 south – Oketo
	133.7	83.1	National Route 242 north – Engaru, Ikutahara	Western end of National Route 242 concurrency
	134.1	83.3	Hokkaido Route 307 east – Rubeshibe Station
	135.2	84.0	National Route 242 south – Rikubetsu, Oketo	Eastern end of National Route 242 concurrency
	136.1	84.6	Hokkaido Route 103 north – Hamasaroma
	145.5	90.4	Hokkaido Route 143 south – Kunneppu
	147.2	91.5	Hokkaido Route 245 north – Shimonikoro
	154.1	95.8	Hokkaido Route 943 – to Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway
	156.9	97.5	Hokkaido Route 7 north – Tokoro Hokkaido Route 27 east – to Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway, Tsubetsu
	158.0	98.2	Hokkaido Route 261 south (Tokiwa-dōri) – Oketo
	158.2	98.3	Hokkaido Route 122 east – to Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway
	159.6	99.2	Hokkaido Route 217 east (Aoba-dōri) – Kaoryanse Park
	160.7	99.9	Hokkaido Route 943 – to Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway, Tokori, Minami-Ōdōri
	165.7	103.0	Hokkaido Route 1024 south – Tanno
	166.3	103.3	National Route 333 west – Engaru, Nikoro
	168.0	104.4	Hokkaido Route 308 north – Tokoro
	173.1	107.6	Hokkaido Route 556 south – to Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway, central Hiushinai
	173.8	108.0	Hokkaido Route 104 north – Ubaranai, Futamigaoka
Bihoro	182.3	113.3	Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway north – Abashiri, Memanbetsu	Bihoro-Takano Interchange (temporary signaled intersection)
	184.3	114.5	Hokkaido Route 122 west – Tsubetsu Hokkaido Route 248 north – Ubaranai	Western end of Hokkaido Route 122 concurrency
	185.4	115.2	National Route 240 south / National Route 243 east – Kushiro, Akan Hokkaido Route 309 north – Bihoro Station	Western end of concurrency with National Routes 240 and 243
	185.8	115.5	Hokkaido Route 122 east	Eastern end of Hokkaido Route 122 concurrency
	187.2	116.3	National Route 334 east – Shari, Koshimizu
	189.2	117.6	Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway – Kitami, Tanno, Memanbetsu Airport Hokkaido Route 122 west	Bihoro Interchange
Ōzora	194.1	120.6	Hokkaido Route 246 east – to Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway, Memanbetsu Airport
	196.3	122.0	Hokkaido Route 714 west – Ubaranai
	198.7	123.5	Hokkaido Route 249 south
	199.1	123.7	Hokkaido Route 64 south / Hokkaido Route 246 west – to Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway, Memanbetsu Airport	Western end of Hokkaido Route 246 concurrency
	200.0	124.3	Hokkaido Route 246 east – Koshimizu	Eastern end of Hokkaido Route 246 concurrency
Abashiri	204.6	127.1	Hokkaido Route 683 north – Mount Tento
	211.6	131.5	National Route 238 west / National Route 239 west / National Route 242 south – Monbetsu, Tokoro	Western end of National Route 242 concurrency
	213.6	132.7	Hokkaido Route 23 east – Shari, Koshimizu
	214.8	133.5	Hokkaido Route 76 west – Cape Notoro
	215.4	133.8	Hokkaido Route 23 west – Abashiri Station Hokkaido Route 1083 east – Abashiri Port
	215.7	134.0	National Route 244 east / National Route 391 south – Shari, Hamakoshimizu	Eastern terminus; highway continues east as National Route 244 and south as National Route 391; end of concurrency with National Routes 240, 242, and 243
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Route transition