Previously on Sekai Ichi, I talked about
the top ten sites in Japan for viewing cherry blossoms, or
sakura. Whilst the tradition of viewing them is an identifiably Japanese practise, another popular pasttime occurs on the opposite side of the year. Viewing autumn foliage, known as
koyo (紅葉,
kōyō, lit. 'red leaf / maple') in Japanese, is almost-equally popular throughout the country.
The "koyo front" is pretty much the reverse of the "sakura front" during the Spring. It starts with Hokkaido in mid-to-late September, northern and high-altitude regions of Honshu in October, and the Pacific coast, including major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, in November. A few warmer places hold out until as late as mid-December. All in all, however, the koyo season tends to be more forgiving than the sakura season, since more varieties of trees turn, and for longer periods of time.
With all that established, it is time to run down my top ten picks for autumn foliage locations in Japan. I admit I have not yet personally visited many of these places... yet, so this list is subsequently based on remote research. I have based the entries of this list on criteria such as the number and varieties of trees in bloom, uniqueness of their surroundings, ease of access, and relative lack of exposure. And in the interest of fairness, I've ordered this list not by quality, but by geographic location, moving from northeast to southwest along the country.
1) Daisetsuzan National Park, Hokkaido
Average peak: Mid-September to mid-October
Daisetsuzan (大雪山) is a massive national park in the middle of Hokkaido which experiences some of the earliest autumn foliage in all of Japan. It is criss-crossed by a dense network of trails, ranging from simple half-hour walks to epic multi-day hikes. The hot-spring towns of Asahidake Onsen (旭岳温泉) and Sounkyo Onsen (層雲峡,
Sōunkyō Onsen) are some of its most accessible bases; both happen to have ropeway lifts which lead directly into the park. Some of the best colours, meanwhile, can be found deeper in the park, in Daisetsu Kogen. It is trickier to access, especially by public transportation (buses from Sounkyo only operate for a couple of weeks in September), but it's worth it to walk the trail around the highland's many ponds.
2) Onuma Quasi-National Park, Hokkaido
Average peak: Mid to late October
Only 25km (15mi.) and under an hour by train from Hakodate, the Onuma Quasi-National Park (大沼公園,
Ōnuma Kōen) is arranged around two vast lakes at the foot of the volcanic Mt. Komagatake (北海道駒ヶ岳,
Hokkaidō Komagatake). There are walking paths of many different lengths, starting from as little as 15 minutes, which cross over several of the miniature islands dotting the lake. If you happen to visit during warmer, greener seasons, you can try out one of the sightseeing cruises across the lakes.
3) Lake Towada and Oirase Stream, Aomori Prefecture
Average peak: Late October
Stepping down onto the main island of Honshu, Lake Towada (十和田湖,
Towada-ko) is the largest caldera lake in Japan. The forests surrounding the lake offer no shortage of colours, which can be enjoyed from sightseeing cruises across the lake. The absolute highlight of the region has to be the Oirase Stream (奥入瀬渓流,
Oirase Keiryū), the lake's only outlet. A trail follows a 9km (5.5mi.) stretch of the river. Much of this trail is shared with a road and is subject to traffic, although cars have been banned on certain days to ease congestion. For those who aren't up to hiking the full stretch, there are bus stops at regular intervals.
4) Hachimantai, Akita & Iwate Prefectures
Average peak: Early to late October
Due south of Lake Towada is the Hachimantai (八幡平) region, straddling Akita and Iwate prefectures. It starts in the south with Lake Tazawa (田沢湖,
Tazawa-ko), the deepest lake in Japan. Like with Towada-ko, regular sightseeing cruises offer a wide view of the shore's landscape. The best colours are to be found up closer to the mountains, however. Many trees line the roads between the region's many remote hot-spring towns, such as Nyuto Onsen (乳頭温泉), Goshogake Onsen (後生掛温泉,
Goshōgake Onsen), and Tamagawa Onsen (玉川温泉).
5) Naruko Gorge, Miyagi Prefecture
Average peak: Late October to early November
The meandering Naruko Gorge (鳴子峡, Naruko-kyō) is crossed by numerous road and rail bridges which appear to float in between dense clouds of leaves on either side. Starting from the Naruko-kyo Resthouse, there are two hiking trails around the area. The longer of the two has been cut short since 2008 due to earthquake damage, but the open section still leads down into the gorge. After your hike, reward yourself with a visit to the nearby kokeshi doll museum, and/or the milky bath-waters of Naruko Onsen.
6) Bandai-Azuma National Park, Fukushima Prefecture
Average peak: Early to late October
Bandai-Azuma Park forms the base of the volcanic mountains of the same names. An eruption by Mt. Bandai (磐梯山,
Bandai-san) in 1888 formed much of the landscape in the Ura-Bandai (裏磐梯, lit. 'behind Bandai') region, where some of the park's best foliage may be found. A popular trail within the park is the Goshiki-numa trail. Approximately 4km (2.5mi.) in-between bus stops, it meanders along multiple ponds of vivid blues and green hues. For those with their own car, even more colours can be seen by driving along free roads like the Bandai-Azuma Lake Line and Bandai-Azuma Skyline, assuming they haven't been closed due to the winter season or seismic activity from the nearby volcanoes (as has currently been the case since September 2018).
7) Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture
Average peak: Early October to mid-November
Nikko (日光,
Nikkō) figures on many tourists' itineraries in Japan, due in large part to the town's density of historical religious sites, like Tosho-gu Shrine and Rinno-ji Temple. Within the heritage area alone, the autumn leaves add a welcome burst of colour to those sites. But it's worth branching out and heading up to the Oku-Nikko (奥日光, lit. 'inner Nikko') region as well. Drive or ride a bus up the Irohazaka (いろは坂, lit. 'ABC slope') winding road, and you will find yourself at the foot of Lake Chuzenji (中禅寺湖,
Chūzenji-ko). Some of its best landscapes are found further still, like the twin Ryuzu waterfalls (竜頭ノ滝,
Ryūzu no Taki), the Senjogahara (戦場ヶ原,
Senjōgahara) marshland, and the hot-spring town of Yumoto (湯元). Due to the wide range in elevation, there are plenty of chances to see something special during autumn in Nikko.
8) Fuji Five Lakes, Yamanashi Prefecture
Average peak: Late October to mid-November
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The Maple Corridor of Kawaguchi-ko.
Taken on Wednesday, 16 November 2016. |
Of the five lakes around Mount Fuji, Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖,
Kawaguchi-ko) has some of the most and best options for viewing fall colours. A good place to start would be the Maple Corridor, set up on the northeast shore of the lake. I was lucky enough to view this in season;
you may read my report here. Further along the coast, the Momiji Tunnel, however it is situated along the road with no access by public transportation. The Churei-to Pagoda, previously mentioned in my list of
top ten cherry blossom spots, also has a good number of maple trees which turn in the season as well.
9) Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, Toyama Prefecture
Average peak: Late September to early November
The Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート,
Tateyama Kurobe Arupen Rūto) is open only from April to November, but packs unique natural wonders into every season during that period, and the autumn months are no exception. The season starts in late September with the Murodo (室堂,
Murodō) highlands, the highest point of the route, where the most vibrant colours are provided by the grasses and bushes dotting the mountainous landscape. Later on in October, the koyo front shifts downhill, and can be witnessed while riding the Tateyama Ropeway, and at hiking stopovers such as Midagahara and Bijodaira. Last but not least are the sylvan valleys below the Kurobe Dam (黒部ダム,
Kurobe Damu).
10) Tofuku-ji Temple, Kyoto
Average peak: Mid to late November
Kyoto (京都,
Kyōto) also has a bounty of autumn foliage locations --
my personal favourite so far is Kodai-ji temple -- but one outshines its peers by a wide margin. Tofuku-ji (東福寺,
Tōfuku-ji) is a Buddhist temple in southeastern Kyoto, not far from
Fushimi Inari Shrine, in fact. The temple's most famous view is of the Tsutenkyo (通天橋,
Tsūtenkyō) bridge, which appears to float atop a sea of firey leafage at the peak of the season. Unfortunately, its reputation and crowds have grown so much that its security personnel may enact certain measures to relieve congestion, such as rerouting visitors along different paths, or banning them from taking photographs from the bridge. Other recommended spots include Kiyomizu-dera in the Higashiyama region (more so once renovations on the main hall are finished in 2020), Eikan-do on the Philosopher's Path, and the Arashiyama district to the west.
Honourable Mentions:
- Meiji-jingu Gaien, Tokyo: The avenue leading into this sports park is lined on both sides with tall, golden ginkgo trees.
- Engaku-ji, Kamakura: Some of Japan's latest-blooming colours (as late as mid-December) occur in Kamakura's shrines and temples, like Engaku-ji.
- Kurobe Gorge: A scenic railway ride along a steep ravine, due north of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route.
- Mino Park: A waterfall park located close to Osaka.
- Momijidani Park, Miyajima: A park leading up to the start of the Miyajima Ropeway. Fittingly, the name "Momiji-dani" means "maple valley".
Wildcard) Sakurayama Park, Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture
Average peak: Mid-November
Finally, for my Wildcard slot, did you know that there is a variety of cherry tree which blooms in the autumn and/or winter? It's called the
Jugatsu-zakura (十月桜), a name meaning "October cherry". Even better, there exists a park where these trees bloom side-by-side with more traditional maples, and that is the Sakurayama Park (桜山公園,
Sakurayama Kōen) in Fujioka, Gunma prefecture. Sadly, it can be relatively challenging to get to. The nearest train station (Gunma-Fujioka) is a 35 minutes' drive away, and there are no bus services in between, at least not that I could research. But for those willing to take the initiative, it's bound to be a one-of-a-kind sight.
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