Momiji

One of the most beautiful things about Japan, is its fall colors.

Recently I had the splendid opportunity to view the Japanese maples in their full fall foliage. And they were stunning.
I feel obligated to point out that Japanese maples and Japanese cherry trees are two entirely different species. Japanese cherry trees are the ones that have the beautiful sakura blossoms in the spring and Japanese maple trees have the stunning autumn colors. What makes them so stunning is that they are all varying shades of red and orange. And when the light hit them, from a ways away, you might swear the trees are on fire.

In Japan this is an important time of year: it is tourist season once again, especially for places like Kyoto and Tokyo, which have famous locations for momiji viewing. Thus many temples who cultivate these beautiful trees are able to make a lot of money from the visiting tourists from Osaka, Nagoya, and other neighboring cities. Additionally there are many street vendors who open up their stalls at this time in hopes to earn an extra...yen. In Kyoto, some of the best places to see the colors are; Eikando, which specifically engineers their entire temple to display these, and only these trees; Nanzenji, which has a masterfully worked brick waterway which is the perfect backdrop for any momiji photograph; and Tofukuji, which is also famous for its autumn foliage that is spectacularly viewed from its great wooden bridge and its view to the valley below.