, also called Kumano Kaidō or Tropical Route is a national highway connecting Hamamatsu, Shizuoka and Wakayama, Wakayama in Japan. Part of the route requires crossing Ise Bay on the Ise-wan Ferry. It is the 8th longest national highway in Japan. Route data Length: 504.6 km (313.5 mi) Origin: Hamamatsu (originates at junction with Route 1) Terminus: Wakayama city Major cities: Tahara, Toba, Ise, Matsusaka, Owase, Kumano, Shingū, Tanabe, and Gobō History Route 42 was originally designated in January 1945 as a section of Route 41 (the Kumano Highway), which ran to Tokyo. This ran concurrent with Route 1 (now Route 1/Route 23). On 18 May 1953 Route 41 was classified as a Class 2 highway and redesignated as Route 170, which was later redesignated as Route 42 when the route was promoted to a Class 1 highway. Passes through Shizuoka Prefecture Hamamatsu • Kosai Aichi Prefecture Toyohashi • Tahara Mie Prefecture Toba • Ise • Meiwa • Matsusaka • Taki • Ōdai • Taiki • Kihoku • Owase • Kumano • Mihama • Kihō Wakayama Prefecture Shingū • Nachikatsuura • Taiji • Kushimoto • Susami • Shirahama • Minabe • Inami • Gobō • Hidaka • Yura • Hirogawa • Yuasa • Aridagawa • Arida • Kainan • Wakayama Intersects with Shizuoka Prefecture Route 1 Route 257 Route 301 Aichi Prefecture Route 259 Mie Prefecture Route 167 Route 23 Route 166 Ise Expressway Route 368 Kisei Expressway Route 260 Route 425 Route 311 Route 309 Route 311 Wakayama Prefecture Route 168 Route 371 Route 311 Hanwa Expressway Route 424 Route 425 Yuasa-Gobō Bypass Route 480 Route 24 Route 26 References 042 Roads in Aichi Prefecture Roads in Mie Prefecture Roads in Shizuoka Prefecture Roads in Wakayama Prefecture