It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.

From Tsuruoka Junction to Sakata-Minato Interchange the expressway is concurrent with the Nihonkai Engan Tōhoku Expressway, which is planned to extend further north to Akita Prefecture and Aomori Prefecture.

The route passes to the north of the Yamagata city area and subsequently meets the Tōhoku-Chūō Expressway.

From here the expressway crosses mountainous areas of western Yamagata Prefecture before reaching the city of Tsuruoka near the Japan Sea coastline.

The remainder of the expressway follows a northerly course paralleling the coastline to the terminus in the city of Sakata.