Japan National Route 58

This unusual, yet scenic, island highway is made up of several disconnected segments across the islands of Kyūshū, Tanegashima, Amami Ōshima, and Okinawa. The road has a total length of on land, but it has a length of when its maritime sections are included into its total length, It originates in the prefectural capital of Kagoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture and terminates in Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. At the port, National Route 224 leaves National Route 58, continuing by ferry to the city of Tarumizu beyond the stratovolcano, Sakurajima. Heading south by ferry, the highway resumes its land route in Nishinoomote on the northern end of Tanegashima. It travels alongside the western coast of the island within Nishinoomote. Upon crossing into the town, Nakatane, the highway ventures inland, heading towards the central district of the town. Continuing south the highway crosses into the town, Minamitane on the southern end of Tanegashima. After traveling through the center of Minamitane, the highway turns northwest and heads towards the west coast of the island where the maritime section of the highway resumes at the Port of Shimama. Unlike the previous maritime section, no ferry carries the highway from Shimama to its next land segment on Amami Ōshima. In all, the highway has a length of on Tanegashima. The national highway continues south along the coast passing through the rural villages of Onna and Yomitan. The town is also home to the United States Marine Corps Camp Lester. The highway curves to the southwest after leaving Chatan and entering the city of Ginowan, home to the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The highway travels along the northern edge of the installation, here an auxiliary route of National Route 58, the Ginowan Bypass, travels further to the north along the coast. The two highways meet after they cross into the city of Urasoe. Another US military installation, Camp Kinser, is located to the west of the National Route 58 in Urasoe while the central district of the city lies to the east of the route. ==History==

The precursor to what would eventually become National Route 58 on Okinawa was originally established in the 15th century during the reign of Shō Kinpuku, ruler of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Shō Kinpuku ordered the construction of a road, called the that traveled all of the way around Okinawa. National Route 58 is mostly situated along the western route of the Yanbaru-kokudō. The Yanbaru-kokudō was designated as an Okinawa Prefecture Road in 1915 between the cities of Nago and Naha. Military Road 1 was captured during the early stages of the Battle of Okinawa and it was quickly redeveloped by Japanese prisoners of war to facilitate the US effort to capture the island—and occupy it. The highway was mainly developed as a high-speed logistics route for the US military that could carry vehicles weighing up to 35 tons. It was re-designated as Government Highway 1 during the civil administration of the island, but the US military's vehicles still took priority over the local Okinawan driving community, who were not allowed to pass US military convoys and vehicles. ==Major intersections==

The list below does not account for distances on the highway's maritime sections. ==See also==