12/11/2021
Best 8 Spots to See Japanese Maple Leaves!
1. Lake Kawaguchi (Fuji Five Lakes) in Yamanashi Prefecture
The Fuji Five Lakes area describes the five lakes that lie at the foot of Mount Fuji: Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Motosu, Lake Shōji, and Lake Saiko. Among them, Lake Kawaguchi is the most well-known for its stunning fall colors, most prominently represented in the Maple Corridor and its 60 beautiful trees, as well as a 1.5km-long “fall leaf avenue.” The “Lake Kawaguchi Autumn Leaf Festival” is held every year on the northern shore of the lake.
Best time:
From mid-October to mid-November
Photo by PlanetWare
2. Meiji-jingu Gaien (Tokyo) – The Golden Ginkgo Promenade
The numerous ginkgo trees in Meiji-jingu Gaien (the Meiji Shrine Outer Gardens) from mid-November, the 146 trees lining the broad avenue turn to a vivid yellow and transform about 300 meters into Tokyo’s famous “Golden Road.”
Best time:
From early November to early December
Photo by iStock
3. Lake Towada in Aomori and Akita Prefecture
Lake Towada is a crater lake that sits on the prefectural border between Aomori and Akita. It is lush in nature and the seasonal scenery of the lake is simply breathtaking. Deciduous trees such as beech, maple, and the Japanese rowan (mountain-ash) grow abundantly on Lake Towada’s shores, taking on deep colors all at the same time as fall comes around.
Best time:
From mid-October to early November
Photo by Live Japan
4. Risshaku-ji Temple (Yamadera) in Yamagata Prefecture
Risshaku-ji Temple is one of the most sacred sites of the Tohoku area and is known as a “power spot” that wards against evil throughout Japan. Beech, maple, ginkgo, and other deciduous trees take on the most vivid colors come fall and are stunningly lit up after the sun has set, alongside the temple’s ancient main hall.
Best time:
From late October to early November
Photo by ガジェット通信 GetNews
5. Mikuni Pass in Hokkaido
Mikuni Pass also features an S-shaped bridge called Masumi Bridge, and despite being an impressive man-made structure, it does not mar the natural scenery at all. Rather, it seems to be in tranquil harmony with its lush surroundings, creating a spectacular, one-of-a-kind panorama of fall colors in Japan.
Best time:
Late September to mid-October
Photo by Live Japan
6. Bishamon-do Temple in Kyoto Prefecture
Bishamon-do Temple is one of Kyoto’s Tendai-sect temples. Spring sees over 100 shidare-zakura cherry trees blossom on the precincts, while Bishamon-do Temple’s approach is covered in vivid fall foliage at the end of fall. This phenomenon is called shiki koyo in Japanese – “a bed of fall leaves.” The road to the temple and its bed of deep red might be the most iconic of Bishamon-do Temple’s seasonal sights, and one of the best places for Kyoto autumn leaves.
Best time:
Late November to early December
Photo by Kansai Travel Guide
7. Irohazaka Winding Road in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture
The slope is a national road that is about 15.8 kilometers long, connecting Nikkō City to Lake Chūzenji (the lake inside Nikkō National Park), famous for having a total of 48 hairpin curves in both directions. During fall, you get to enjoy vivid fall leaves at every single curve and there is no greater pleasure than hopping in a rental car, lowering the windows and enjoying the sights first-hand.
Best time:
Mid-October to late October
8. Itsukushima in Hiroshima Prefecture
Itsukushima, also known as Miyajima, is one of the Three Views of Japan, the country’s most iconic sights. It is also registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, symbolized by the vermilion torii gate standing in the water.
Best time:
Mid-November to late November
Photo by Travel Japan
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