Nantai — Restaurant in Nikko

An unbelievable meal after a long day of viewing waterfalls.

If you're looking for a great meal of authentic food after visiting the sights around Lake Chuzenji, This is a perfect option. We were tired and hungry. We had been to all the big waterfalls and even did quite a bit of walking along the road because we figured it was faster than waiting for the next bus. After we took the elevator down to the bottom of Kegon falls (very much with the small fee) we came back up and found this incredible place right across the street.

There's a big picture of the salted and grilled river trout (they translate it as river salmon: not inaccurate, but not how Americans are used to talking about it) in front of the place and that's what got our attention. We had seen them roasting on sticks around town, and knew we wanted to try it, but a sit down meal, with a bottle of yebisu beer, suited our mood better. They told us we'd have to wait 20-30 minutes, but they seated us in about ten minutes. Both of us picked the lunch set with the salted fish. It came with rice and a small bowl of yuba sashimi. Plus pickles and miso soup. Can't beat the Japanese set lunch.

The fish was so moist and tender. The fishy juices were the perfect complement to the salty skin on the exterior. The trout skin is crisp and dry but the flesh flakes into oily fish bits with delicate flavor. There's no way they could possibly cook it this well on a stick outside. After I had eaten just about everything visible, I continued to pick around the bones with my chopsticks, hoping to find a few more bites of fishy flesh.

All of the accompaniments were also well prepared. The Yuba sashimi was a nice treat, as I had wanted to try the local speciality. It's chewy, elastic and rich. Better when dipped in the included sauce.

The ambiance is great. Dark wood interior accents and an awesome vibe. The service here was also top notch. I can't recommend this place highly enough. Even if the wait had really been 30 minutes, it would've...

Nantai is a cozy, authentic Japanese restaurant located near Kegon Falls, making it a perfect stop for a hearty meal after sightseeing. With its warm, home-style atmosphere and friendly staff, the restaurant captures the welcoming spirit of the Nikko mountains.

The menu focuses on local and traditional dishes, featuring specialties like yuba (tofu skin), soba noodles, grilled river fish, and tempura made from seasonal mountain vegetables. Each dish is simple but full of flavor—beautifully presented and cooked with care. Portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable for such a popular...

The food is good and its famous dish is the baked fish caught from the lake. Other vegetables is also fresh and price is reasonable. It's only ¥1,400 for the set.

The atmosphere is wonderful and even though I am solo traveler I am assigned to sit at one of the たたみ surrounded with wooden furniture (long history wood). There are some paintings on the wall which are also old paintings from decades ago.

The only complaint is a fly srrounding my dishes when I enjoy this exquisite meal. Don't know why there is still fly...