Imaichi is the quiet partner of Nikko, a working town of sixty thousand people on the plain where the mountain roads meet the Kanto lowlands, and a very good place to eat after the climb to Chuzenji. Some of the trunks are as thick as a small car, and the shade under them is deep and green even at noon.
The mausoleum is Toshogu, the shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the shogunate who died in 1616 and was enshrined at Nikko the following year. His grandson Iemitsu rebuilt it on a vast scale in the 1630s, and the result is a riot of gold leaf, carved animals and lacquered gates, including the famous three wise monkeys and a sleeping cat. It stands in the forest with the cedars around it, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site along with its neighbours. Whatever you think of its taste, it is certainly unforgettable.
The local food is simple and good. Nikko is known for yuba, the skin that forms on heated soy milk, which is lifted off in sheets and served rolled, fried or in soup, a speciality that grew up around the temples and their vegetarian cooking. Soba noodles, made from buckwheat grown in the surrounding hills, and fresh trout from mountain streams are also local favourites. Lunch in a small place with tatami seating and a view of a garden is a restful way to spend an hour.
For riders, Imaichi offers fuel, supermarkets and plenty of rest stops, and the roads from here lead in several directions. To the west lie the climbing roads to Lake Chuzenji and Yumoto, to the north the Kinugawa valley and its hot springs, and to the south the long, straight run back toward Utsunomiya and Tokyo. The Nikko-Utsunomiya road is usually busy, and weekend traffic into Nikko can crawl, so aim to arrive early. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, building over the mountains, and the air cools quickly when they arrive. In autumn the colours around Nikko peak in mid to late October, and you will not be alone.