View source for Shuto Expressway

{{Short description|Network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo area}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Metropolitan Expressway Company Limited
| logo = Shuto Urban Expwy Logo.svg
| logo_size = 125px
| native_name = 首都高速道路株式会社
| native_name_lang = ja
| romanized_name = Shuto Kōsoku-dōro Kabushiki-gaisha
| type = [[Kabushiki gaisha]]
| predecessor = Metropolitan Expressway Public Corporation (1959–2005)
| foundation   = 1959 (as public corporation)<br />2005 (corporatized)
| location     = [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]
| key_people   = [[Toshitaka Miyata]], ([[CEO]])
| industry     = [[Transportation]]
|  area_served = [[Tokyo]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture]], [[Chiba Prefecture|Chiba]], [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]]
|  products    = Operation and maintenance of the Shuto Expressway
| num_employees   = 2609 <small>(2008)</small>
| revenue         = {{profit}} [[Japanese Yen|¥]]444.91 billion <small>(2008)</small>
| owners         = [[Government of Japan]] (49.99%)<br>[[Tokyo Metropolitan Government]] (26.72%)<br>[[Kanagawa Prefecture]] (8.28%)<br>[[Saitama Prefecture]] (5.90%)<br>[[Yokohama|Yokohama Municipal Government]] (4.45%)<br>[[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki City]] (3.82%)<br>[[Chiba Prefecture]] (0.80%)
| subsid         = Metropolitan Expressway Service Co, Ltd.
|homepage        = [http://www.shutoko.jp www.shutoko.jp]
}}

[[File:Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway map-en.svg|thumb|Shuto Expressway system in 2015 shown in red, other interconnected expressways in green]]

The {{Nihongo|'''Shuto Expressway'''|首都高速道路|Shuto Kōsoku-dōro|extra="Metropolitan Expressway", lit. "Capital Expressway"}} is a network of [[Toll road|tolled expressways]] in the [[Greater Tokyo Area]] of [[Japan]]. It is operated and maintained by the {{Nihongo|'''Metropolitan Expressway Company Limited'''|首都高速道路株式会社|Shuto Kōsoku-dōro Kabushiki-gaisha}}.

Most routes are [[Grade separation|grade separated]] and have many sharp curves and multi-lane merges that require caution to drive safely. The speed limit is 60&nbsp;km/h on most routes, 80&nbsp;km/h on the [[Bayshore Route]], and 50&nbsp;km/h on the [[Inner Circular Route]].

As of 2014, the cash toll for a standard-size car is [[Japanese yen|¥]]1300 regardless of distance traveled. Vehicles using the [[Electronic toll collection|ETC]] toll-collection system pay a distance-based toll ranging from ¥300 to ¥1300 for ordinary vehicles (see [http://www.shutoko.co.jp/english/drive/toll/ toll price]) – in some cases substantially less than the previous fixed-rate toll. Lower cash rates exist for certain radial routes (where there are only a few kilometers of expressway remaining) and [[Electronic toll collection|ETC]] users have various time-of-day discounts. For large vehicles, the toll is doubled.

== Routes ==
There are 24 routes currently in operation:

===Circumferential routes===
*C1 [[Inner Circular Route]]
*C2 [[Central Circular Route (Shuto Expressway)|Central Circular Route]] &mdash; loop incorporating the [[Yamate Tunnel]]. 
*Y [[Yaesu Route]] &mdash; via [[Tokyo Expressway]]
*B [[Bayshore Route]] (Higashi-Kanto-Expressway – ) Chidori-cho – Sachiura / Namiki ( – Yokohama–Yokosuka Expressway)

===Radial routes===
*No. 1 [[Ueno Route]] Edobashi JCT – Iriya
*No. 1 [[Haneda Route]] [[Hamazakibashi Junction|Hamazakibashi JCT]] – Haneda ( – Route K1)
*No. 2 [[Route 2 (Shuto Expressway)|Meguro Route]] Ichinohashi JCT – Togoshi
*No. 3 [[Route 3 (Shuto Expressway)|Shibuya Route]] Tanimachi JCT – Yoga ( – the Tomei Expressway)
*No. 4 [[Route 4 (Shuto Expressway)|Shinjuku Route]] Miyakezaka JCT – Takaido ( – the Chuo Expressway)
*No. 5 [[Ikebukuro Route]] Takebashi JCT – Bijogi JCT ( – Route S5)
*No. 6 [[Mukojima Route]] Edobashi JCT – Horikiri JCT ( – Route C2)
*No. 6 [[Misato Route]] Kosuge JCT – Misato JCT ( – Tokyo Gaikan Expressway)
*No. 7 [[Komatsugawa Route]] Ryogoku JCT – Ichinoe ( – Keiyo Road)
*No. 9 [[Route 9 (Shuto Expressway)|Fukagawa Route]] Hakozaki JCT – Tatsumi JCT ( – Bayshore Route)
*No. 10 [[Harumi Route]] Ariake JCT – Harumi
*No. 11 [[Daiba Route]] Shibaura JCT – Ariake JCT (Tokyo Rainbow Bridge)

===Kanagawa routes===
*K1 [[Yokohane Route]] (Route 1 – ) Haneda - Ishikawa-cho JCT ( – Route K3)
*K2 [[Mitsuzawa Route]] Kinko JCT – Mitsuzawa ( – Yokohama Shindo Road and Daisan Keihin Road)
*K3 [[Kariba Route]] Honmoku JCT – Kariba ( – Yokohama Shindo Road and Yokohama-Yokosuka Expressway)
*K5 [[Daikoku Route]] (Route K1 – ) Namamugi JCT - Daikoku JCT ( – Bayshore Route)
*K6 [[Kawasaki Route]] Tonomachi – Kawasaki-Ukishima JCT ( – Bayshore Route and Tokyo Bay Aqua Line)
*K7 [[Yokohama North Route]] (Route K1 and Route K5 – ) Namamugi JCT - Yokohama Kōhoku JCT ( – Daisan Keihin Road and Route K7)
*K7 [[Yokohama Northwest Route]] (Route K7 and Daisan Keihin Road – ) Yokohama Kōhoku JCT – Yokohama-Aoba JCT ( – Tōmei Expressway)

===Saitama routes===

* S1 [[Kawaguchi Route]] (Route C2 – ) Kohoku JCT – Kawaguchi JCT ( – Tokyo Gaikan Expressway)

*S2 [[Saitama Shintoshin Route]] (Route S5) Yono – Saitama-Minuma
*S5 [[Ōmiya Route]] (Route 5 – ) Bijogi JCT – Yono ( – Route S2)

==History==
The Metropolitan Expressway was first built between Kyobashi Exit in [[Chūō, Tokyo]] and Shibaura Exit in [[Minato, Tokyo]] in 1962 for the purpose of increasing traffic flow efficiency in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, thus optimizing and improving the functionality of the traffic system. Since then, 280 kilometers of highway network has been built in the Tokyo metropolitan area; 30 kilometers more of highway are either constructed or planned, making the Metropolitan Expressway a vast network of urban [[Controlled-access highway|expressway]]s in the Tokyo region.

Like other expressways in Japan including the [[Tōmei Expressway]], the Shuto line has become a common [[street racing]] road. One of the lines, the Bayshore Route (also known as the Wangan route), received worldwide notoriety during the 1990s as the home course for the Mid Night Club, one of the most notorious [[street racing]] clubs, who were known for their 300&nbsp;km/h, sometimes 320&nbsp;km/h exploits.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-31 |title=Japan's Infamous Team Mid Night Never Went Away |url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a39908887/japans-infamous-team-mid-night-never-went-away/ |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Road & Track |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hodges |first=Jared |date=2019-02-06 |title=The Mid Night Club: Japan's Most Infamous Street Racers |url=https://thebackroads.co.uk/2019/02/06/the-mid-night-club-japans-most-infamous-street-racers/ |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=The Back Roads |language=en-GB}}</ref> These exploits and street racing culture on the Shuto Expressway have made it a well-known location for street racing and speed records.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-12 |title=I Met Japan's Highway Racers In The Middle Of The Sea |url=https://jalopnik.com/i-met-japans-highway-racers-in-the-middle-of-the-sea-1826250826 |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Jalopnik |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-04 |title=Time Machine: Flat Out On The Tokyo Aqua-Line |url=http://www.speedhunters.com/2016/07/scoot-rx7-tokyo-aqualine/ |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Speedhunters |language=en-US}}</ref>

Due to this infamy, the Wangan is the setting for several entertainment franchises, such as the [[manga]] and [[arcade game]] ''[[Wangan Midnight]]'', video games ''[[Shutokou Battle]]'' and ''[[Gran Turismo 5]]'', ''[[Gran Turismo 6|6]]'', ''[[Gran Turismo Sport|Sport]]'' and ''[[Gran Turismo 7|7]]'' (as the [[street circuit]]) and the movie series ''[[Shuto Kousoku Trial]]''. Numerous car enthusiast magazines and DVDs, like ''[[Best Motoring]]'', also highlight races and activities on the Wangan.<ref>Hot Version Vol. 87 (Wangan Midnight homage)</ref><ref>JDM Option International - Vol 6: 2004 D1 Grand Prix Ebisu (Chiba Footage from Tokyo WANGAN Scene)</ref><ref>JDM Option International - Vol. 7: Super High Speed Drift (Chiba Footage from Tokyo WANGAN Scene)</ref>

Inner Tokyo sections of the expressway prohibit motorcycle [[pillion]] passengers due to poor road geometry.<ref>[https://www.shutoko.jp/qa/safety/ 交通・安全 FAQ]</ref> The C2 route allows motorcycles with pillion passengers to travel through.<ref>[https://www.shutoko.jp/~/media/images/responsive/customer/use/restriction/nirin_200518.png Map of Pillion Passenger Ban]</ref> The ban does not apply to motorcycles equipped with a [[sidecar]]. The segments with a pillion ban include the important C1 Inner Circular route and adjoining central Tokyo routes. 

There are 21 parking areas scattered throughout the Shuto Expressway system. In general these are much smaller than the [[Rest area|service areas]] available every {{convert|30|km|mi|sp=us|0|abbr=off}} or so on inter-city expressways.

{{Gallery
|Shuto expressway shiodome.jpg|Near [[Shiodome]], C1 [[Inner Circular Route]]
|Shuto expressway harumi jct.jpg|Shinonome Junction
|Image:Shuto expressway ginza.jpg|[[Ginza]], C1 [[Inner Circular Route]]
|Shuto expressway ariake junction.jpg|[[Ariake, Tokyo|Ariake]] Junction
|Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo, Japan, 2004.jpg|[[Rainbow Bridge (Tokyo)|Rainbow Bridge]] on the Daiba Route
|Aerial view of Daikoku Junction.jpg|Daikoku Junction}}

== See also ==
* [[Expressways of Japan]]
* [[Japan Highway Public Corporation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.shutoko.co.jp/english/ Official website]
{{Commons category|Metropolitan Expressway (Tokyo)}}

{{Shuto Expressway}}
{{Expressways of Japan}}
{{coord|35.660814|139.737560|display=title}}

[[Category:Shuto Expressway| ]]
[[Category:Expressways in Japan]]
[[Category:Transport companies established in 1959]]
[[Category:Transport companies based in Tokyo]]
[[Category:1959 establishments in Japan]]