Both of the places have all kinds of different trees located on the premises. One is lit up at night during autumn and the other isn’t…although it should be. One has a tall pagoda and a veranda overlooking Kyoto. The other has a small ravine filled with maples and a bridge where people can walk above them and look down into the ravine of maples. Do you know what places I’m referring to yet?

The first one is Kiyomizudera and the other is Tofukuji. Go to either one of these places during autumn and you’ll be joined by half of Japan. They are so popular that during momiji season, you will most likely be viewing the maples shoulder to shoulder with someone else you don’t know…on both sides of you.

Kiyomizudera is the most popular of the two and larger. There are tons of maple trees around the temple grounds along the backside of the temple, in front to the left, if you are looking back at Kyoto Tower, and further to the left up along the mountain. If you really want to see it in its full-on beauty, visit the temple at night when the spotlight is shining brightly in the sky like a Batman beacon. Stand along the little pond to the left, again if you are facing Kyoto Tower, and look back at the temple and beacon for a great reflection shot of the temple, beacon and trees. See the photo pictured in this article for reference to what I’m talking about.

Tofukuji on the other hand is smaller in scale, but nonetheless beautiful. It may even be more beautiful depending on what you like. The bridge overlooking the ravine of colorful red maples and the small grove of yellow maples just before the ravine are amazing. If you happen to go on a partly cloudy day, you will surely know what I’m talking about. The contrast in colors against a blue and white sky make for picturesque photos; ones you will never forget. But unfortunately for anyone who loves this place, it is not lit up at night even though the website created by those who run this temple say it is. They close down the temple just before dark in autumn. So get there early enough to see it all before they kick you out. It’s a breathtaking maple viewing place! See the photo in this article.

Momiji viewing involves Japanese maples. And they don’t just grow everywhere. It takes a little planning to find places with many maple trees on the grounds. Some local parks scattered around Kyoto have them. Some shrines and temples have them. But not all places have Japanese maples.

So here are some of the best places around the Kyoto area to see Japanese maple trees in the splendor:

• Kiyomizudera
• Kinkakuji
• Fushimiinari
• Nagaoka Tenmangu
• Komyoji
• Arashiyama
• Tofukuji
• Nanzenji
• Takaragaike
• Kibune

The previous prediction that maple leaves would be ready for viewing unfortunately was incorrect. Maple leaves are still green in many areas around the Kansai region. Some are red. Some are yellow. Finding really bright red maple leaves is getting easier as winter approaches, but they are few and far between.

The better areas to find momiji are in the higher mountain areas or where trees are in direct sunlight.

Good luck finding really red maples! When you do find some, let us know where you found them.

Right now is that time!

As temperatures begin to fall, people are beginning to talk about momiji viewing. It will continue to be the hot topic here in Japan until the last autumn leaves have fallen.

What most people want to know is “Where and when to go?”

Many people go to parks, shrines and temples, while others go to the countryside. Momiji viewing is done individually, as a date with someone you love or as a group. Most people in Japan from now on will be talking about momiji.

Momiji will be the hot topic on this site until sometime in December, just before Christmas. So keep your eyes and ears open. You will find many great places to go momiji viewing, too.

If you have not been to see momiji yet, fear not. You are probably a lot better off not having been somewhere yet.

Look for trees to be more colorful this coming weekend. Trees out in open sunlight will have already begun changing if not already begun dropping leaves. They may be past the red color stage and begun turning brown. Trees deeper in the forests hidden by sunlight will be turning colors and some may even be still green. But by this weekend, maple trees should be turning lighter green to yellow, orange and red.

For the better momiji viewing experience, venture off the more trodden path. You will more likely find unique beautiful autumn settings worthy of picture taking!

Here are some of mine from yesterday’s momiji check. ]]> https://kansainews.com/2010/12/02/poor-momiji-reports/feed/ 0 https://kansainews.com/2010/11/17/fushimi-inari-momiji-report/ https://kansainews.com/2010/11/17/fushimi-inari-momiji-report/#comments Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:14:12 +0000 https://kansainews.com/?p=799 The maples leaves in the Kansai region are beginning to change colors. Most of the trees that are changing, however, are those in direct sunlight. Trees set back in the forests are still vibrant green and have not begun changing their colors.

Expect trees in the Kyoto area to be bright and colorful around the last week of November, a little earlier than the official momiji report predicted a few weeks ago.

The photos below are from Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Oyamazaki Momiji

The weather is beginning to cool in the Kansai area of Japan. You know what that means, right? Momiji~!

The talk around town has already begun shifting from how hot the weather is to where people are planning to go see Japanese maple leaves in their bright red, orange, yellow and green colors.

If you are looking for more information on some of the more popular places to visit, here is a previous article written on the topic.

Momiji Viewing Areas in Kansai

For less popular places, ones that only locals mostly know about, here are a few places that you can visit, see maple leaves and enjoy some other activities on the same day.

• Oyamazaki Suntory Whiskey Distillery – See momiji, take a tour of Suntory and hike up the shrine mountain.
• Philosopher’s Trail – See beautiful maple leaves as you walk along the trail, stop at a cafe and enjoy some coffee and cake and visit some of the temples and shrines along the way.
• Uji Bridge and surrounding areas – Take a walk across one of Japan’s oldest bridges and continue hiking up into the foothills of Uji for a good view of momiji, or walk to Byodoin back across the bridge. Byodoin is on the temple on the 10 yen coin.

You would expect during a normal autumn season to see thousands upon thousands of people roaming here and there admiring the beautiful autumn leaves, but that is not quite the case this year.

Be it so called global warming or just another side of the way God created the earth, rain is pouring over Japan a little more than usual at this time of year. Usually rain doesn’t start falling this much until the leaves are at the end of the autumn cycle.

Autumn, however it goes, does not wait for man. Man cannot change it or slow the process down. We can only take it as it comes and enjoy the ride.

If people in Japan want to see momiji this year, they are going to have to endure getting wet or put on some rain gear and buy a new waterproof camera because rain is in the forecast off and on for the next week.

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In previous articles, I shared places most commonly visited around the Kansai area. This time, however, I would like to share some not-so-often visited places that are beautiful nonetheless. By visiting these places, you’ll avoid the heavy crowds and tourist traps.

Momiji Pamphlet for Kansai

One really great place right in the middle of Kyoto and Osaka is Hachimangu Iwashimizu Shrine on the top of Otokoyama (Mountain). To get there, take the Keihan train from either Kyoto or Osaka, going the opposite direction of the city you begin in, and about half way between each city you’ll find Yawatashi station, Yawata City. Get off the train and exit the station. There’s only one exit! To the right of the station is another very short train, cable car actually, that goes up the side of the mountain. It takes you to the top of Hachiman mountain where Hachiman shrine is located. The mountain is large enough where you can spend the majority of the day hiking around through the trails, up and down the mountain through bamboo and Japanese maple trees.

At the westernmost end of the mountain, near where you exit the cable car at the top of the mountain, hike to your left and back towards the north-west end of the mountain for a view into Kyoto City. There are many maple trees and an old restaurant that may even be open during momiji season. It’s a very beautiful spot! For more momiji hike towards the main shrine area and you’ll find lots of red and yellow maples mixed with some bamboo. You’ll even find a bust of Thomas Edison. He’s famous in Yawata, if you didn’t already know. It’s where he got the filament to make the first light bulb.

A great way to see lots of smaller shrines and temples and visit some really famous ones is to take the Keihan train to Sanjo street. From the station exit and go away from the river towards the mountain and Kiyomizudera. Look for signs leading to Yasaka shrine. Go left down the street towards Yasaka and keep walking along that road. You’ll pass some beautiful scenery and many other shrines and temples, Chion-in, Nanzen-ji, Eikan-do and Shin-nyo-do, which will also lead you by Heian and end at Ginkakuji.

It’s a beautiful hike through temples, shrines, old-style Kyoto roads and houses, and if you hike up towards the mountain higher up, you can get great views of Kyoto City below.

If you are traveling in Japan, make sure you come in autumn at least once in your lifetime to see the Japanese maples in their vibrant yellows, oranges and reds.

The best known areas to view maple trees are at shrines, temples and gardens. But Japanese maple trees are so abundant, you can just about see them anywhere you go. They are strewn along mountainsides and can be enjoyed even while riding a train.

Some of the best know places to view momiji in the Kansai area are:

• Kiyomizudera – Overlooking the Kyoto valley from the temple mountainside.
• Tofukuji – Take a walk through the garden and ravine or over the bridge looking down into the ravine.
• Arashiyama – Enjoy a boat ride with someone special, take a stroll through the mountains to see momiji and monkeys or get in a boat and go downriver.
• Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji – While Kinkakuji is picturesque with the Golden Pavilion in the background, Ginkakuji has a some beautifully lined streets of momiji.
• Fushimi Inari Shrine – Not only will you see lots of momiji, but with equal brilliance in color, you can enjoy a long hike through the orange-colored prayer poles up the mountain to a view overlooking Kyoto.
• Osakajo – Spring is beautiful while the cherry blossoms are in bloom, but Osakajo boasts a good amount of momiji along the many walkways around the park and along the moats.
• Minoh Falls – If you like hiking, go to Minoh and walk up to the falls viewing momiji along the way. Make sure you wear a jacket because the pathway leading to the falls is well covered with trees and cooler as you hike further up the mountain path.
• Senriyama Park – Many momiji line the paths and roads around the park. The park is also a nice place to enjoy peace and quiet close to the hustle and bustle of Osaka City life.
• Todaiji Temple – View more momiji at this temple and surrounding parks than any other place! You can spend an entire day walking through Todaiji and the grounds around the temple and never run out of beautiful scenery, momiji or deer, which only add to the beauty and separate Nara from all other momiji areas.