Vivid Autumn Colors in Korankei

Beautiful valley decorated with countless maple leaves

Takako Sakamoto Sep 15, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>High vermilion ceiling looking down on me...this is like a ceiling decorated with multi-colored paintings</p>

<p>Setting sun is beaming through a large maple tree, and the back-lit maple leaves are burning red</p>

<p>Wow! This is THE 'Korankei' that Aichi prefecture is so proud of!</p>

<p>I expected 'some' crowds, but I wasn't prepared for 'this' crowd!</p>

<p>At 'Sanshu Asuke Residence', a large ginkgo tree towers over a moss-covered thatched roof</p>

<p>Thatched roof covered with fallen ginkgo leaves...a special roof color only seen in the autumn</p>

<p>Endless tunnel of autumn leaves...what an impressive sight!</p>

<p>Korankei is famous for its mystic night-time illumination as well</p>

<p>I love the color of leaves best when they are shining with the setting sun</p>

<p>No words can describe the brilliance of these maple leaves</p>

<p>I realized I had kept looking up for a few hours! My neck hurt!</p>

<p>Yellow with vermilion piping...how vivid!</p>

Korankei Valley in Aichi prefecture is famous for its gorgeous autumn foliage...and they aren't proud for nothing!

The valley, gouged by the Tomoe River, features about 4,000 maple trees, which fill the entire riverbank, along with a tunnel of colored leaves that pleases the eyes of the people walking through this riverside passageway. I visited here on November 15th, two years ago. I thought it would be too early for the autumn foliage, but I enjoyed the gorgeous vivid colors very much. This spot is famous for its night-time mystic illumination as well, but I love the color of leaves best when the setting sun shines through the leaves in the late afternoon. I feel they look most brilliant at this time of the day.

Autumn in Japan

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...