Cedar Avenue of Nikkō, Tree-lined route in Nikkō, Japan

The Cedar Avenue of Nikkō is a tree-lined route featuring approximately 13,000 cryptomeria trees distributed across roughly 35 kilometers in three separate sections. The avenue runs along Japan National Routes 119 and 121, connecting multiple parking areas for visitors.

Tree planting began around 1625 under Matsudaira Masatsuna's direction as a tribute to Tokugawa Ieyasu. This initial effort grew over generations into one of the world's longest tree-lined routes.

The avenue's name, Nikkō Suginamiki, refers to the cryptomeria (sugi) lining the three kaidō. The trees were donated to Tōshōgū in 1648, and four memorial stones mark the donation. Look for the Namiki Hotel, a cedar with a hollow large enough for four people to sleep in, and the Sakura Sugi, a cedar split by a cherry tree that blooms in spring.

The avenue is split into three sections: the Nikkō Kaidō (National Route 119) from Matsubara-machi to Yamaguchi, the Reiheishi Kaidō (Route 121) from the Jūkku-chō crossing in Imaichi toward the Kanuma border, and the Aizu Nishi Kaidō (Route 121) from Toyoda to Ōkura. Since 2017 and 2018, some old-road stretches have been closed to vehicles to protect the trees, so walkers can use those parts without traffic. Look for the four stone dedication markers at Ōsawa, Yamaguchi, Ogura and Ōkura.

This location holds the rare dual distinction of being both a Special Natural Monument and a Special Historic Site, a combination rarely granted in Japan. This dual recognition honors both the botanical and cultural importance of the avenue.