In the east of Aichi prefecture there is a religious mountain called Mount Hongu. Being close to the sea, there are some stunning scenic views from this mountain. With this thought, a scenic driving road was created in the 70’s. Opened in 1973, the Mt. Hongu Skyline was originally a toll road. This was abolished on the 1st of February 2006, when it became a toll free road. The road is now also known as prefectural road 526 and 527.
On the highest point of the skyline there is a big parking, from there opportunities for hiking, visiting a shrine or climbing a bit to the top and enjoying the view over the Mikawa Bay and nearby big cities. On the top of Mount Hongu there are also recognizable antennes for broadcasting.
The east entry is connected to the route 301, a main road between Shinshiro and Toyota city. The entry in the north is connected to the route 37 and is close to Roadside Station Tsukude Tezukuri Mura, translated as Tsukude handmade village. At this reststop there is usually a market with many handmade goods and foods by local farmers. Additionally, the rest stop is popular with people who enjoy driving as well as people passing through to or from one of the two nearby circuits, namely ALT Tsukude and Motorland Mikawa.
The length of the Mt. Hongu Skyline is around 12 kilometers long. Lanes are very wide and asphalt quality is very good. Access from nearest highway (Shin-Tomei in Shinshiro) is around 30 minutes driving.
Google maps location link:
Mt. Hongu Skyline
JDM4all youtube video: