Heading back to Nikko from Tokyo, we take the Nikko Kaido the last portion of the trip. The following excerpt was found online in Japanese and machine translated by myself.
“Nikko Kaido Cedar Trees
The Nikko Kaido, Reiheishi Kaido, and Nishiaizu Kaido are three roads lined with approximately 13,300 cedar trees on both sides of the road for a total length of 37 km.
Matsudaira Masatsuna, a loyal retainer of the Tokugawa clan, planted more than 200,000 cedar trees over a period of 20 years, and donated them as trees along the approach to Nikko Toshogu Shrine on the 33rd anniversary of Ieyasu's death. These cedar trees, which have grown to a height of approximately 30m, are currently the only ones in Japan to be designated as both a special historic site and a special natural monument. In 1991, they were recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "longest tree-lined road in the world," and events such as the "Nikko Kaido Cedar Trees Festival" and the "Cedar Trees Marathon" are held here. On the right side of the Nikko Kaido toward Utsunomiya, there is a rare "Sakura Cedar" with a parasitic cherry tree.”
Yes, I drove our car down this TWO WAY ROAD that was scarcely wide enough for just one car. Fun fun. Roads built centuries ago were not done so with motor vehicles in mind, it would seem.
We see a sign for a restaurant. Being hungry and around lunch time we pull off the Nikko Kaido and step back in time.
報徳庵. Hotokuan
From nikko-soba.org
“Located in Suginamiki Park, this famous restaurant is always crowded with customers, and is housed in a nostalgic old house.
The thin noodles, made with 100% local flour, are smooth and rich in aroma.
Sit on the veranda and enjoy the delicious, flavorful soba while admiring the natural scenery.
They also offer "Bukkake Soba (cold)" and "Yuba Soba (hot)" made with soy milk and yuba.
[3 Recommended Menu Items]
・Tempura Zaru Soba
・Kinjiro Soba
・Mori Soba”
Placard at the entrance of the restaurant showing the date it was built and the floor plan.
Lunch; Tempura Zaru Soba. Excellent.
In the immediate vicinity is an even older house that is a museum and has a small shop.
Sign describing the house. Taken from Nikko City’s webpage.
My photos below.
Bought some really nice and inexpensive 白檀/Byakutan/Sandlewood incense in the store.
The area has many waterwheels and a few were close to the restaurant and museum.
The path back to the museum house.
This was an unplanned stop. We were hungry and this hove into view. It turned out to be an unexpected culinary and scenic delight as well as restful.
For those who have the opportunity to drive or cycle in Japan, there are many such places throughout the country. Often, as we did this trip, we just keep our eyes open for signs and have never been disappointed in the meals we chance upon and often find extras we were not expecting. Other times we have asked for recommendations from locals and others, my wife checks Tabelog, an online customer review site of restaurants, as I drive. You’ll never get to enjoy such places if you are reliant upon tour busses and or trains.
Note. All I really remembered about the location of this place was that we stopped for lunch on our way to Nikko. To get more information on it fore this post, I used “Google Lens” with a photo I took of the restaurant and was thus able to track it down along with the Ezure House. I did not know, or perhaps remember, that we were on the Nikko Kaido at this point nor the origin of the trees and that we were on the world’s longest tree lined road. Despite my espoused hatred for computers, I do find good uses for them, from time to time. This was one of them.
I also wish to express gratitude to those who have prompted me to post on this topic which filled in some gaps in the information I had from this wonderful trip my wife and I took years ago.
"Yes, I drove our car down this TWO WAY ROAD that was scarcely wide enough for just one car. Fun fun. Roads built centuries ago were not done so with motor vehicles in mind, it would seem. "
And with those trees they probably aren't going to widen it any time soon.
We bought a kei car as second vehicle in part so that we would have one that could navigate up twisty mountain passes and stand a slight chance of being able to pass a vehicle coming the other way (assuming that vehicle was also a kei).