Momoi-toge Pass (a pass on a national route in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City) (百井峠)
Momoi-toge Pass is a pass on a national route in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture.
Summary
It is the pass located on National Route 477 at an altitude of 741 meters. It separates Ohara-Momoi-cho and Kurama-honmachi in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. Since ancient times the Pass has been known as one of chokepoints in main roads of Rakuhoku (Northern Kyoto), and as the name Kurama (a Japanese ghost) suggests, it is said to be a pass which various ghosts and monsters had gathered. It is one of the difficult points to drive, along with Momoi-wakare curve, in the National Route 477 which still has many chokepoints today.
Features of the pass
Although vehicles can run through it, the road keeps narrow as 1.0 to 1.3 lanes in width ahead and behind the pass, hard to imagine it is a national route. It is quite difficult to pass each other around the pass, drivers have to find moderate bends, which might be a little wider, for passing. It also has pretty steep slopes with zones which is hard to climb for even automatic cars to shift into first gear. Besides, having rock fall, fallen leaves, and snowfall in some seasons, the road is extremely difficult to be traveled. It is one of the roughest roads in Kyoto City which is required utmost caution to be traveled.
Roads that lead to the pass
From Otsu City
From National Route 477 through National Route 367 (duplicated), National Route 477, and Momoi-toge Pass to National Route 162.
From Kyoto City
From National Route 162 through National Route 477, Momoi-toge Pass to National Highway 367.
Neighboring passes
Maegahata-toge Pass (Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture)