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Hokkaido Sapporo Otaru Hakodate Asahikawa Furano Abashiri Noboribetsu Niseko Lake Toya Daisetsuzan Shiretoko Rishiri Rebun Akan Tohoku Sendai Matsushima Hiraizumi Akita Kakunodate Hachimantai Aomori Hirosaki Lake Towada Shimokita Hanto Dewa Sanzan Yamadera Aizu Bandai Kanto Tokyo Yokohama Kamakura Hakone Kawasaki Nikko Kinugawa Kawagoe Kusatsu Ikaho Minakami Oze Narita Ogasawara Chubu Nagoya Inuyama Mt.Fuji Fujigoko Izu Peninsula Shizuoka Hamanako Nagano Bessho Onsen Matsumoto Kamikochi Kiso Valley Hakuba Yamanouchi Sado Island Takayama Okuhida Shirakawa-go Gujo Gero Onsen Kanazawa Kaga Onsen Noto Peninsula Kansai Kyoto Osaka Nara Kobe Himeji Kinosaki Mount Koya Kumano Asuka Yoshino Amanohashidate Hikone Iga Ueno Ise Shima Chugoku Hiroshima Miyajima Onomichi Okayama Kurashiki Takahashi Inujima Tottori Daisen Matsue Iwami Ginzan Iwakuni Yamaguchi Hagi Shikoku Takamatsu Kotohira Naoshima Shodoshima Matsuyama Uchiko Kochi Tokushima Naruto Kyushu Fukuoka Dazaifu Arita Nagasaki Shimabara Kumamoto Mount Aso Kurokawa Minamata Beppu Yufuin Mount Kuju Miyazaki Takachiho Kagoshima Kirishima Satsuma Hanto Yakushima Okinawa Honto Kume Miyako Yaeyama

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Autumn Color Report 2011  Autumn leaves can be enjoyed in various ways. During the early phase of the season, the colors are mostly found in the mountains where entire slopes turn orange, yellow and red, and provide some of the most amazing seasonal sceneries. Hiking is the most rewarding way to see the colorful leaves in the mountains, but many spots can also be conveniently reached by train, bus or ropeway. In the second phase of the autumn leaf season, the colors descend into Japan's cities, where they can be viewed in parks and gardens. Among the highlights are the autumn colors in the temples gardens of Kyoto where they beautifully complement with the buildings' elegant architecture. Almost surreal is the sight of the trees during evening illuminations, which are held at selected gardens and temples. Below is an incomplete list of some of the best autumn color spots across Japan: Hokkaido - Tohoku - Tokyo - Around Tokyo - Kyoto - Western Japan Ratings:    best of the best    best of Japan    outstanding Hokkaido Daisetsuzan National Park Mid September to mid October The mountains of Daisetsuzan National Park are the first place in Japan to see autumn colors each year. Early in the season (mid to late September) spectacular colors can be enjoyed by hiking into the higher elevations around Mount Asahidake, Ginsendai or Kogen Onsen. Later in the season (early to mid October) the colors are good in lower elevations, such as around Sounkyo. Shiretoko National Park Late September to mid October Among the best spots to see the colors on the Shiretoko Peninsula are the Shiretoko Pass in early October and the Shiretoko Five Lakes in mid October. Noboribetsu Early to mid October The trees surrounding Noboribetsu's spectacular hell valley and around the sulfurous ponds further up the forested slopes, turn beautifully colorful in October. Onuma Park Mid to late October Located near the southern tip of Hokkaido, Onuma Park sees autumn colors in the second half of October. The colors can be enjoyed on pleasant easy walk along the park's ponds. Tohoku Hachimantai Early to late October Some of Japan's most spectacular autumn colors are found in the Hachimantai mountains. Good spots include the summit of Mount Hachimantai, Goshogake Onsen with nearby Onuma Pond, Tamagawa Onsen and Nyuto Onsen. Oirase Stream Late October One of Japan's most famous autumn leaf spots is Oirase Stream in Aomori Prefecture. It is possible to follow the stream through the colorful forest for several kilometers along a walking trail. The colors around Lake Towadako are also spectacular. Tokyo Mount Takao Mid to late November Takaosan, a wooded mountain with temple, is a pleasant place near central Tokyo to enjoy some hiking in an autumnal natural surrounding. The base of the mountain can be reached in just a 50 minute train ride from Shinjuku. Rikugien Late November to early December Rikugien is one of Tokyo's nicest Japanese landscape gardens. And its autumn leaves are among the best in the city. The garden is opened for special illuminations during the peak of the season. Koishikawa Korakuen Late November to early December Alongside Rikugien, Koishikawa Korakuen is Tokyo's best landscape garden. As such, it is naturally also one of the city's most pleasant autumn color spots. Icho Namiki (Ginkgo Avenue) Late November to early December The ginkgo (icho) is the official tree of Tokyo. The most famous of the many ginkgo lined streets in the city is the Icho Namiki or "Ginkgo Avenue" in the Meiji-jingu Gaien Park, whose trees are pruned in a quite spectacular fashion. Around Tokyo Oze Late September to mid October Oze is a national park about 100 kilometers north of Tokyo. It offers beautiful hiking courses through mountainous marshlands and around a pond. Autumn colors start in late September in form of kusamomiji (grass autumn colors) when the grass covered marshlands turn into a beautiful reddish yellow. Nikko Early October to mid November The Okunikko region around Lake Chuzenji and Yumoto Onsen is particularly nice for autumn colors during most of October. Colors then descend into the town of Nikko where they can usually be seen into mid November. The autumnal spectacle attracts large crowds, especially on weekends in October. Mount Tanigawadake Mid to late October Tanigawadake is a famous mountain range in Minakami a popular outdoor destination in Gunma Prefecture, where spectacular autumn colors can be enjoyed from hiking trails and a Tanigawadake Ropeway. In the lower elevations around Minakami, autumn colors last into mid November. Fuji Five Lakes (Fujigoko) Late October to mid November The Fuji Five Lake region at the northern base of Mount Fuji offers some of the best views of the iconic mountain in combination with autumn colors. The northern shores of Lake Kawaguchiko offer some particularly nice spots. Further up the mountain, around the Kawaguchiko 5th Station, the colors start in early October. Shosenkyo Gorge Late October to mid November Often referred to as Japan's most beautiful gorge, the Shosenkyo Gorge outside of central Kofu City is particularly spectacular during the autumn leaf season. Hakone Early to late November A moderate amount of autumn colors can be enjoyed across the Hakone region from early November in the higher elevations to late November in the lower elevations. Kamakura Late November to mid December Several of Kamakura's temples and shrines come with some autumn colors. Due to the town's mild climate, the peak of the season is often not reached until early December. Kyoto Tofukuji Mid to late November Usually best in the second half of November, Tofukuji Temple displays some of Kyoto's most spectacular autumn foliage. The views of and from the Tsutenkyo Bridge are particularly impressive, and the temple gets very crowded. Arashiyama Mid to late November Arashiyama is a district at the outskirts of Kyoto. The forested mountains in the background and the trees on the grounds of Arashiyama's temples usually turn colors in the second half of November. Kiyomizudera Mid to late November The highly popular Kiyomizudera is also a spectacular autumn color spot. The trees around the temples large wooded stages usually turn red in the second half of November. Eikando Mid to late November With their abundance of autumn colors, the temple grounds of Eikando are another of Kyoto's most popular koyo spots. It is one of several temples that offer special illumination opening hours in the evenings. Yoshiminedera Mid to late November Similar to Kiyomizudera on Kyoto's eastern mountains (Higashiyama), Yoshiminedera is a temple on the slopes of Kyoto's western mountains (Nishiyama) with nice views over the city and beautiful autumn colors. More autumn color spots in Kyoto... Western Japan (except Kyoto) Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route Late September to early November Thanks to the great elevation range covered by the Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route through the Northern Japanese Alps, autumn colors can be enjoyed somewhere along the route from late September all the way into early November. Mino Park Late November Mino Park is a valley with a temple and waterfall in the forested mountains north of Osaka, accessible from the city center in only 30 minutes by train. It is one of the city's most pleasant autumn color spots, but can become quite busy especially on weekends. Koyasan Late October to mid November A moderate number of trees around the town of Koyasan provide attractive seasonal colors from around late October to mid November, making Koyasan a good destination for those too early to see the colors in the lower elevations of the Kansai Region. Mount Daisen Late October to early November The highest mountain in the Chugoku Region, Mount Daisen in Tottori Prefecture, provides hiking and walking opportunities among attractive autumn colors. Miyajima Mid November A moderate amount of autumn colors can be found in and around the small shrine town on Miyajima Island, just outside of Hiroshima. The highest concentration of colorful trees is found in the Momijidani (Maple Valley) behind the town. Kuju Mountains Early to mid October The mild climate does not make Kyushu one of Japan's top destinations for autumn colors. Nevertheless, there are some nice spots to see the seasonal colors. Among the best are the Kuju Mountains, which contain the island's highest peaks and offer spectacular hiking in a volcanic landscape. Ratings:    best of the best    best of Japan    outstanding Guide to Autumn Colors: Where to see autumn leaves? When do trees turn colors? What trees turn colors Any Questions? Ask them in our question forum.

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