Shomaru Pass - Shomaru Pass

A pass located in the southwest of Saitama Prefecture, northwest of Hanno City. It is about 650 meters above sea level. The current Shomaru Pass was built at the beginning of the Showa era when the motorway (currently National Route 299) was opened, and the previous pass was located about 1 kilometer north of the current location. In 1982 (Showa 57), the Shomaru Tunnel (1,918 meters) was opened, connecting Hanno City and Yokoze Town in Chichibu County. The difficult traffic area can now be crossed by car in 3 to 4 minutes. During the Edo period, it was a road connecting Edo and Chichibu, and was a transportation route for Chichibu silk. It is now the center of the Prefectural Oku-Musashi Nature Park, and is crowded with hikers, with rest houses and other facilities. The Seibu Railway Chichibu Line's Shomaru Tunnel (4,811 meters) passes near the old pass.

[Masatami Nakayama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

埼玉県南西部、飯能市(はんのうし)北西部にある峠。標高約650メートル。現在の正丸峠は、昭和の初めに自動車道路（現、国道299号）の開通に伴いつくられたもので、以前の峠は現在地より約1キロメートルほど北寄りの所にある。1982年（昭和57）飯能市と秩父(ちちぶ)郡横瀬町を結ぶ正丸トンネル（1918メートル）が開通。交通の難所も自動車で3、4分で通過できる。江戸時代は江戸と秩父を結ぶ往還で、秩父絹の輸送路であった。現在は県立奥武蔵(おくむさし)自然公園の中心部で、レストハウスなどがあり、ハイカーでにぎわう。旧峠付近には西武鉄道秩父線の正丸トンネル（4811メートル）が通じる。

［中山正民］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例