In Japan, viewing the colours of maple leaves in autumn is a cultural obsession
The viewing of autumn's changing colours is a national obsession in Japan. We rustle up the best spots for taking in the dazzling display
Autumn is a magical time in Japan. Summer's humid heat has finally abated. Days are bright and nights are cool. The rice harvest is in full swing and celebrated with festivals. But above all, it's koyo time. In Japan, koyo — the spectacular colours of autumn leaves — inspires a reverence that borders on the spiritual. For a few brief weeks, momiji-gari (maple viewing) becomes the national obsession. None can resist this annual call of the wild.
By early October, signs of koyo fever are everywhere. Shops are festooned with fake maple branches, TV weather forecasts give daily updates on the leaves' colour, and the mighty Kirin brewery brings out its "Specially Limited Autumn Brew" beer in cans emblazoned with — what else? — maple leaves. So put on your walking shoes and read on for our guide to the best places ito marvel at the maples.
MIYAJIMA ISLAND
Just a 10-minute ferry ride across the bay from Hiroshima, Miyajima is renowned for its great vermillion tori gateway rising out of the sea. It's one of the "Three Views of Japan", and home to the magical Itsukushima Shrine, which appears to be floating on the tide. Come autumn, Miyajima's Momijidani Park — a maple woodland cultivated during the Edo period at the foot of forest-shrouded Mount Misen — bursts into colour with over 200 maple trees. No matter how crowded it gets, its crystalline streams spanned by delicate orange bridges make it an idyllic spot. Local specialities are oysters and momiji manju: maple leaf-shaped cakes filled with bean paste, chocolate or custard. Look out for the deer — they love to snatch tourists' food.
Getting there: take a train or streetcar from Hiroshima Station to Miyamajima Guchi, then a ferry.
