Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline
The Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline (津軽岩木スカイライン, Tsugaru Iwaki Sukairain) is a toll road in Hirosaki, Japan which partially ascends Mount Iwaki and is notable for its steep gradient and 69 hairpin turns. The road ascends 806 metres (2,644 ft) over an average gradient of 8.66%, with some sections going up to a 10% gradient. The road terminates at the 8th station on Mount Iwaki, a stratovolcano, at which point a chairlift is available from the 8th station to the 9th station. The Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline has been considered one of the most dangerous mountain roads in the world.[2] Both the road and the chairlift are managed and operated by Iwaki Skyline Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Kōnan Bus Company.
Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline | |
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津軽岩木スカイライン (Tsugaru Iwaki Sukairain) | |
Route information | |
Maintained by Iwaki Skyline Co., Ltd of Kōnan Bus Company | |
Length | 9.8 km[1] (6.1 mi) |
Existed | August 25, 1960–present |
Known for | 69 hairpin turns to ascend/descned Mount Iwaki |
Restrictions | Closed during winter from early November to April, weather permitting. Open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. |
Major junctions | |
From | Aomori Prefecture Route 3 near Dake Onsen in Hirosaki, Aomori |
To | 8th Station of Mount Iwaki |
Highway system | |
National highways of Japan Expressways of Japan |
Tolls
The prices listed are for a round trip up and down the road, as of 2017:[3]
- Motorcycles: ¥1000
- Kei car: ¥1500
- Standard-sized car: ¥1800
- Mini bus: ¥4500
- Large vehicles (defined as 30+ people, or a total weight of at least 8,000 kilograms (18,000 lb)): ¥7200
History
Construction on the Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline began in April 1958. When the road opened on August 25, 1960 as part of the Kōnan Bus Expressway Division it was the first toll road in Aomori Prefecture. In 1972 a one-way chairlift was added, starting from the 8th station, where the road ends, up to the 9th station. In 1993 the chairlift was upgraded to allow for two-way travel. In April 1999, the company operating Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline and the chairlift changed its name to "Iwaki Skyline Co., Ltd."[4]
See also
- Mount Iwaki
- Hakkōda Ropeway
Japan portal Roads portal
References
- "津軽岩木スカイラインとは │ 津軽岩木スカイライン". Iwaki-skyline.jp. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- "Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline". Dangerousroads.org. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- "営業案内 │ 津軽岩木スカイライン". Iwaki-skyline.jp. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- "津軽岩木スカイラインとは │ 津軽岩木スカイライン". Iwaki-skyline.jp. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
External links
- (in Japanese) Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline
- Google Maps Satellite View