Shimizumachi Intersection on Route 156, Takaoka

A Route 156 Junction in Takaoka

The Shimizumachi Intersection sits on National Route 156, the highway that starts at the port district of Fushiki on Toyama Bay and runs south through Tonami, past the mountain villages of Gokayama and Shirakawa-go, all the way to Gifu. Here the route meets the road linking the south side of Takaoka Station with the Kizu district, one of the city's everyday crossroads.

A Road Information Camera

The feed is run by Takaoka Cable Network, the city's cable television operator, as part of its local traffic information service. Besides the YouTube broadcast, the view is carried on the network's own channel 123, so residents can check road conditions before setting out.

What the Camera Shows

The camera looks across the junction from an elevated corner, taking in the pedestrian crossings, the traffic signals, the web of overhead cables and the low-rise homes and businesses typical of a Hokuriku city. The operator's broadcast covers the approaches toward Fushiki, toward the station's south side, toward Kizu and along Route 156 toward Tonami.

Takaoka, a City of Bronze and Temples

Takaoka is the second-largest city in Toyama Prefecture, known for the Takaoka Great Buddha, the Zuiryu-ji temple, a National Treasure, and a centuries-old tradition of copper and bronze casting. Route 156 is one of the main roads tying the city to the coast and to the inland Tonami Plain.