Adventures in Japan: Where to hunt for the red and yellow leaves of autumn

Momijigari is the tradition of hunting for autumn leaves, in Japan. — AFP

Japan has fully reopened its borders to tourists, and many travellers are expected to head to the land of the rising sun in time to witness a tradition that has been rooted in Japanese life for centuries: Observing the autumn colours that trees display in this season.

It is nearly as important as the contemplation of cherry blossoms (a tradition known as hanami) in springtime, and it also has a name – momijigari meaning “red leaf hunting”, from the word momiji for the famous red tone of the maple leaves.

In North America it’s known as leaf peeping.

Japan’s leaf hunters are not only looking for the red tones, they also want to immortalise the yellow leaves of the ginkgo trees.

This event, which encourages friends and families to meet at the foot of the trees, is an ancestral tradition which goes back to the Heian period, between 794 and 1185, when Kyoto was about to become the new imperial capital (today, of course, Tokyo is the capital).

Kyoto is indeed one of the top destinations for momijigari, where the Kiyomizu-dera temple offers a magical and meditative spectacle.

From artists like Giuseppe Arcimboldo to Claude Monet and of course Vincent Van Gogh, autumn has long been a source of inspiration. Vines, chestnut trees and oak trees all have their own rhythm for turning various shades of yellow, orange, burgundy and ochre, with parks and forests becoming veritable masterpieces of colours to contemplate.

Autumn landscapes often invite introspection and meditation as well as walks through nature specifically taken to enjoy the changing colours of the foliage.

In order not to miss out on this spectacle of nature, a map and fall foliage forecast 2022 has been created by jrailpass.com to outline the best places and periods to appreciate the autumnal foliage patchwork, also referred to as koyo. The map indicates the best viewing periods by time period and by region, as well as listing the best spots in Tokyo and Kyoto.

The fall foliage spotting goes from mid-September to mid- December, though in general the mainland highlights are from mid-October to mid-November. – AFP Relaxnews