Hakozaki Junction

Overview

Hakozaki Junction is an interchange where the Metropolitan Expressway Route 9 (Fukagawa Line) branches off from Route 6 (Mukojima Line). It's located between Edobashi JCT, where Route 6 (Mukojima Line) branches from the Inner Circular Route, and Ryogoku JCT, where Route 7 (Komatsukawa Line) branches from Route 6 (Mukojima Line). Two lanes from each direction of Route 6 (Mukojima Line) branch off to Route 9 (Fukagawa Line). However, on the outbound line, the leftmost and rightmost lanes of the four lanes (two from the Inner Circular Route inbound, and two from the Inner Circular Route outbound) leading from Edobashi JCT to Hakozaki JCT branch off to Route 9 (Fukagawa Line). Previously, there was no branch from the left side to Route 9 (Fukagawa Line; the left two lanes were for Route 6 (Mukojima Line), and the right two lanes for Route 9 (Fukagawa Line). Therefore, to go to Route 9 (Fukagawa Line) from the Inner Circular Route inbound, drivers had to change lanes across two lanes at maximum. To alleviate congestion caused by this weaving traffic, the Hakozaki Junction Improvement Project was undertaken from 1994 to 1998, adding a branch from the left side. The lower level of the junction forms a one-way Hakozaki Rotary (clockwise), with Hakozaki PA located on the east side of the rotary. The Hakozaki entrance/exit branches off from the west side, and the Hamacho entrance/exit and Kiyosubashi exit branch off/merge from the east side, connecting to both Route 6 (Mukojima Line) and Route 9 (Fukagawa Line) via the rotary. Note that the Hakozaki Rotary is designed to connect the Hakozaki entrance/exit, Hamacho entrance/exit, Kiyosubashi exit, and Hakozaki PA to the main lines, so entering the Hakozaki Rotary isn’t necessary if you’re simply driving on Route 6 (Mukojima Line) and Route 9 (Fukagawa Line). Including general roads, the junction has a four-layered structure, earning it the nickname "monster interchange" since its construction.