Driving in Japan, R49 | Road trip from Fukushima to Niigata on the nature-rich Echigo Kaido Road

Route 49 is a general national highway that runs from the intersection of Route 6 in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture to the intersection of Routes 7, 8, 17, 403, and 459 in Chūō Ward, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture.
It passes through Kōriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture; Inawashiro Town, Yama District; Aizu Wakamatsu City; Aizubange Town, Kawanuma District; Nishiaizu Town, Yama District; Aga Town, Higashikanbara District; and Agano City, Niigata Prefecture.
It is also called Wakamatsu-kaidō Avenue, Aizu-kaidō Avenue, Echigo-kaidō Avenue, etc.
It is one of the important roads connecting the Pacific Ocean side of Japan and the Sea of Japan.
START ：Route 49 Start (Kamiyata intersection = Route 6 intersection) - Jōban kamiyada-machi, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.
GOAL : Route 49 End (Kurinokibashi intersection = on Route 7, 8, 17, Route 403, 459 Start) - Akashi, Chūō Ward, Niigata City, Niigata Pref.
DATE ：Late August 2023
DISTANCE : About 240 km (measured by Google Maps)
ROUTE MAP: www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/emb...
00:00:00 Intro
00:04:48 Route 49 Start
00:13:39 E6 JŌBAN EXPWY, Iwaki-chūō IC - Yoshima-machi Kitayoshima, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.
00:21:16 Iwaki Mizuishi Tunnel L=1385m - Miwa-machi Gōdo, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.
00:23:24 E49 BAN-ETSU EXPWY, Iwaki-Miwa IC - Nakadateshita, Miwa-machi Gōdo, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.
00:28:50 Iwakimiwa Tunnel L=743m - Miwa-machi Watado, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.
00:33:00 ← Fukushima Prefectural Route 135 Mikabu Shimoichigaya Ogawa Line - Horinouchi, Miwa-machi Shimoichigaya, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.
00:37:44 Nagasawa-tōge Drive-in - Nagasawa, Miwa-machi Kamiichigaya, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.
00:42:48 ←→ Route 349 - Kojimata, Miwa-machi Kamimisaka, Iwaki City, Fukushima Pref.
00:49:26 Hirata Drive-in - Osozawa, Kamiyomogida, Hirata Village, Ishikawa District, Fukushima Pref.
00:52:28 Roadside Station Hirata - Yokomoriushiro, Kamiyomogida, Hirata Village, Ishikawa District, Fukushima Pref.
00:58:30 → Fukushima Prefectural Route 13 Ono Tamogami Line - Dannoshita, Tamura-machi Tamogami, Kōriyama City, Fukushima Pref.
01:14:18 ←→ Fukushima Prefectural Route 54 Sukagawa Miharu Line - Hongo, Tamura-machi Sanchū, Kōriyama City, Fukushima Pref.
01:27:40 ←→ Route 4 Asakano Bypass - Nakakameda, Tomita-machi, Kōriyama City, Fukushima Pref.
01:30:59 E4 TŌHOKU EXPWY, Kōriyama IC - Shimooike, Tomita-machi, Kōriyama City, Fukushima Pref.
01:38:30 Drive-in Kouka - Sorihada, Atami-machi Akogashima, Kōriyama City, Fukushima Pref.
01:43:58 Atami Tunnel L=1340m - Atami-machi Takatama, Kōriyama City, Fukushima Pref.
01:52:40 Nakayama Tunnel L=500m - Inawashiro-machi, Yama District, Fukushima Pref.
02:04:41 → Route 115 - Katada, Inawashiro-machi, Yama District, Fukushima Pref.
02:07:59 Dr. Noguchi Memorial Hall - Maeda, Mitsuwa, Inawashiro-machi, Yama District, Fukushima Pref.
02:18:22 ← Route 294 - Ikki-machi Kanehori, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref.
02:24:26 Statue of Aizu Jibo Kannon (Inori no Sato Aizu Village) - Kawahigashi-machi Asayama, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref.
02:31:55 ← Route 118 - Ikki-machi Kamega, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref.
02:33:38 → Route 121 - Machikita-machi Hashime, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref.
02:36:00 ← Route 252 ↑Route 118 - Machikita-machi Nakasawa, Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref.
02:42:51 Roadside Station Aizu Yugawa Aizubange - Sanome, Yugawa Village, Kawanuma District, Fukushima Pref.
02:53:21 Nanaoritōge Tunnel L=1045m - Ketanomiya, Aizubange-machi, Kawanuma District, Fukushima Pref.
02:55:23 ← Route 252 | → E49 BAN-ETSU EXPWY, Aizubange IC - Sakamoto, Aizubange-machi, Kawanuma District, Fukushima Pref.
03:07:06 ← Route 400 - Nozawa, Nishiaizu-machi, Yama District, Fukushima Pref.
03:09:28 Roadside Station Nishiaizu - Shimojōotsu, Nozawa, Nishiaizu-machi, Yama District, Fukushima Pref.
03:22:14 Prefectural Border (Torii Pass) - Nishiaizu-machi, Yama District, Fukushima Pref. → Aga-machi, Higashikanbara District, Niigata Pref.
03:36:22 ← E49 BAN-ETSU EXPWY, Tsugawa IC | → Route 459 - Tsugawa, Aga-machi, Higashikanbara District, Niigata Pref.
03:40:07 Akaiwa Tunnel L=2661m - Nishi, Aga-machi, Higashikanbara District, Niigata Pref.
03:48:48 Igashima Tunnel L=1070m - Iwaya, Aga-machi, Higashikanbara District, Niigata Pref.
03:54:18 Roadside Station Aga no Sato - Ishima, Aga-machi, Higashikanbara District, Niigata Pref.
03:57:40 → Route 290 - Komatsu, Agano City, Niigata Pref.
04:02:20 ← E49 BAN-ETSU EXPWY, Yasuda IC | → Route 290 - Yasuda, Agano City, Niigata Pref.
04:13:29 → Route 460 - Chūō-chō, Agano City, Niigata Pref.
04:20:44 Roadside Station Agano - Kubogawara, Agano City, Niigata Pref.
04:28:55 ↖Route 403 - Chinoyama, Kōnan Ward, Niigata City, Niigata Pref.
04:34:14 ↗ Route 7 - Shichikuyama, Chūō Ward, Niigata City, Niigata Pref.
04:37:26 Route 49 End

[@roadsexplore]

The whole drive on route 49, from coast to coast, was very interesting. I find that the most scenic spot of this route is the section along Inawashiro Lake, very beautiful there. The alignment and quality of the road are also very good, making the drive a very pleasant one. Thanks for sharing, greetings from a road-tripper from Germany!

[@user-tkw2023hq7qw]

5:40=上矢田～8:55＝西平～9:55＝内郷御台境町～13:40＝上好間～ 23:30＝合戸～41:35＝中三坂～50:30＝磐城平田～58:30＝田母神～ 1:13:30＝磐城守山～1:23:35＝西郡山～1:57:25＝上戸猪苗代湖東～ 2:04:55＝猪苗代堅田～2:32:00＝北若松～2:48:00＝会津坂下～ 3:09:20＝会津野沢～3:36:00＝津川～3:45:15＝阿賀三川～ 4:03:15＝阿賀野保田～4:13:30＝阿賀野中央～（終）＝にいがた万代 国道４９号の全ての動画の撮影ご苦労様です。