Japan (Autumn)

 

Sunday, 30 November 2025

Japan in Autumn - Tokyo

 I visited Japan last spring during cherry blossom season.  I was probably a week too early so while I did see some cherry blossoms and huge crowds, it was not quite the spectacle on travel websites.  But it did give me a first hand experience with the Japanese transportation system.  I was so impressed I decided to go back this fall to do a self-guided trip with my daughter and son-in-law around the country using the shinkansen (high speed train).  We visited 7 cities in 15 days.  I booked all the trains and a few buses a month before and to my relief, everything went without a hitch.  All the bookings went smoothly, the trains were spot on to the minute with no delays and we were able to make transfers at big and small stations on time.  A lot of credit is due to my daughter who quickly learned to navigate the system at the stations, not to mention her expertise at following google maps on the streets (which I have to confess I am hopeless with even though I can follow driving directions without a problem).  Grateful also to my son-in-law for keeping a protective eye on me to make sure I don't get lost hunting for a shot!

We spent three whole days in Tokyo, mostly soaking in the streetscape of the different neighbourhoods.  You won't see a lot of iconic Tokyo tourist sites here as we didn't visit any other than the Meijijingu  - a revisit for me so I had focused on the people.  The Shibuya Scramble Crossing was a highlight and truly the "wow" experience for me.  The big disappointment was the unexpected closure of the two museums on my itinerary - the Nezu Museum and the Sumida Hokusai Museum.  November 1st was a long weekend dedicated to Culture Day in Japan.  I think the museums opened on Monday (when they were normally closed) to celebrate Culture Day and closed on Tuesday instead.  I had noted the normal Monday closure when building the itinerary but missed the Culture Day aspect.  All the more reason for another trip...

Our Shinjuku hotel was a pleasant 15 minute walk to the Meiji Shrine.  It being a Sunday of a long weekend, there were lots of people, including locals who were there to celebrate the Autumn Festival at the shrine.  Chrysanthemums were the theme and many adults and children were dressed in kimonos with the motif.  We visited some interesting side streets just outside the shrine area before heading to the Shimokitazawa neighbourhood, a trendy, bohemian area known for unique coffee shops and vintage clothing stores.  We went back to Shibuya at night for the awesome sight of the crowds at the Shibuya Scramble Crossing.  It was a packed first day.

One of the beautiful Tori gates at the Meiji Shrine bears a repeat

Gorgeous chysanthemums on show at the shrine

Chrysanthemum bonsais!

This elegant young lady was happy to show off her stunning chrysanthemum kimono

Young couple with newborn baby happy to pose

Prescious!

Performers headed to the ceremonial dance

A long shot of the ceremonial dance - a reward for braving the crowds on a long weekend

The beautiful architecture of the Meijijingu above the crowds

The eaves at the shrine are fine examples of Japanese wood joinery technique

We ventured out onto the streets after our visit to the shrine - walked by some of the couture houses on Omotesando Street before cutting through some side streets to Takeshita Street, famous for its youth culture, fashion and sweets.

Not dessert but soaps!

Harujuku Street fashion - this seems to be all the rage

A surprise art deco building in Harajuku area

Sign says "Free diagnosis today" at a palm reading store - funny how people outside immediately looked at their own palms to compare with what's up on the chart!

The tallest chip stack

The biggest cotton candy!

Shopping streets in the Shimokitazawa neighbourhood.  This is the tourist section.

Parents and kids were lining up for group Halloween celebration event

A more subdued gentrified section of the Shimokitazawa district

A reprieve from the crowds in this coffee shop, relaxing with Leonard Cohen in the midst of bustling Tokyo.

Families walking home after the Halloween celebration

Restaurant specializing in fermented foods beside a closed aesthetic salon.

Bonus golden hour shot of the Docomo Yoyogi building, a landmark in the Shinjuku Yoyogi area, reminiscent of the Empire State building.

Shibuya Scramble Crossing is truly a sight to behold!  Unbelievable crowds.  This was taken from the walkway to Shibuya Station above the bus turnaround area.

What it feels like to be right in the crossing, with the crowd.  Tourists would pose for a shot in the middle of the road.

Just a little distance from the crowd

Birds' eye view of the crossing in full swing!

Saturday, 6 December 2025

Japan in Autumn - Tokyo Pt 2

 We stayed in Shinjuku, one of the busiest hubs in Tokyo with countless sites within walking distance. The area around Shinjuku station with its busy crossings is reminiscent of Shibuya but not quite on the same scale.  I revisited the area Omoide Yokocho with countless little restaurants in the narrow alleys on our way to and from the metro.  Shinjuku National Garden is also a 15 minute walk from our hotel and we spent a morning there before going into central Tokyo for our long anticipated sukiyaki lunch.  This was followed by an amazing experience at Teamlabs Borderless which truly wowed the senses.    

The sumo wrestling show we attended was not quite the real thing as we did not hit the sumo wrestling circuit at the right time or city, but it did give us an idea of what it's like.  I mentioned earlier that the two museums on our itinerary were both closed so we did more exploring of their neighbourhoods with suitable breaks in cool coffee shops.  Tokyo, with so much neon, is a great place for night shots and I managed to capture a few.  

Shinjuku National Garden 

The iconic Docomo Yoyogi building once again in view

A delicate capsule reminiscent of a bonsai garden

Emerging fall colours in the garden

There was a chrysanthemum exhibit celebrating autumn in the garden, showcasing different varieties.

One of the highlights of the day was a sukiyaki lunch at Ningyocho Imahan Honten.  The food and presentation was superb and memorable.  The restaurant is attached to its own butcher and produce specialty stores in two buildings.

Appetizers 

Main meal with melt in your mouth wagyu

The impressive Azabudai Hills Mori Tower which houses Teamlabs Borderless in the basement 

 

The entrance corridor leading to a collection of rooms with different sensory experiences

Entry  room where everyone just gawked

Sitting on the floor you would be totally engulfed in a shimmering magical world

The last room where you can colour your own aquatic creature.  They will scan it and it will show up on the wall with other creations.  I could flip my seahorse by just touching it or even move it to different position.  Of course you could also order all kinds of merchandise with your creation on it!

View from the  Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, a short distance away

Sumo Warm up exercises

Sumo wrestling demo

Museum of Contemporary Art - closed, can't even get on the grounds

Plant-filled coffee shop in the middle of nowhere

Omoide Yokocho area in Shinjuku with alley ways full of street food stalls in the morning and at night

Ginza

Cats seem to be great attention getters - this one sits atop the Nissan Aura in the glitzy Nissan building at the Nissan Crossing in Ginza

This 3D animated one moves atop a building on a billboard right at Shinjuku crossing, drawing huge crowds below, cameras ready waiting for it to emerge every few minutes in between the ads

Shinjuku Crossing

This wraps up our Tokyo visit, barely touching the surface of that amazing city, definitely one calling for multiple visits.    

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Friday, 12 December 2025 Japan in Autumn - Nagano Nagano is just a couple of hours north of Tokyo and we got there late morning on the Shinkansen after transferring from a local commuter train out of Tokyo.  Having seen an Instagram post on the cedar promenade at Togakushi Shrine, I made that a priority on my itinerary.  We dropped off our luggage at the hotel before catching the express bus to the shrine.  We took the bus right up to Okusha, the upper shrine, as it is a long hike up from the lower shrine, and we wouldn't be able to make it back to the bus before sunset in these short Novemebr days. The cedar promenade is as stunning as I'd seen in photos. The first part of the trail is an easy hike through the cedars but the actual climb to the shrine is quite steep and slippery.  The hike back provided yet another pleasurable perspective with fall colours emerging.  Aside from seeing the spectacular cedars, the visit was a refreshing change after the city. The second morning we headed for the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, the top item on our Nagano list.  It was another hour long hike up to the park from the bus stop but made much more palatable with the gorgeous fall colours.  The monkeys were hilarious and it was a fun visit. We made it back to Nagano with a couple of hours left before sunset and after a coffee break, we decided to check out the Obasute rice fields since it was just a half hour train ride from Nagano.  The impressive Shinkansen trains that took us around Japan during the 15 day trip without a hitch.  Every train we booked was on time to the minute.  Boarding and deboarding was swift  with passengers (inluding ourselves) who all seemed well-trained to keep the relentless pace of these trains.   The road to the Togakushi Shrine was at peak for fall colours Tori gate at the entrance to the Upper Shrine Cedar-lined trail to the shrine These are komainu, mythical lion dogs, often used to guard shinto shrines, believed to ward off evil spirits and protect sacred grounds.  The cedar promenade continues on the other side of the red gatehouse The trail up to the shrine with a stream running beside The shrine itself is an anti-climax after the specatcular hike The hike back  The road to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park was also peaking with brilliant reds More cedars on the way to the Snow Monkey Park The hot spring where the monkeys hang out Parenting can be tedious "I've had it! Nothing like a dip in the onsen to soother the nerves A different perspective on the hike back We had a coffee break before we headed out to Obasute for the rice fields.  Autumn is chestnut season and this dessert is covered with chestnut paste, inside and out! The Obasute rice fields with the town in the distance.  This is not quite the season for rice fields viewing as there is no water but seeing the terraced rice fields was still interesting. And this train station seems out of a movie set Thursday, 18 December 2025 Japan in Autumn - Takayama  Takayama is a historic city, a gateway to the Japanese Alps.  It took two trains to get to Takayama from Nagano.  The second train, the Hida, runs along its namesake, the Hida River providing a scenic ride to Takayama.  Its tributary, the Miyagawa River, flows through Takayama creating scenic interest in the town itself with several bridges. Once we got to Takayama, our first stop is the Hida Folk Village, an open air museum with more than 30 traditional centuries old houses with thatched and shingled roofs.  It is situated in a beautiful setting with the autumn colours at peak.  We spent a couple of hours walking through it and exploring the insides of these houses. The old town has some beautiful, well-preserved Edo-period merchant houses but it was so crowded in the afternoon we could not see the buildings properly so we made a return visit at night to get the true feel of the old town.  So glad we did. We could not in good conscience visit the gateway to the Alps without getting a bit closer to the mountains even though it was not on our original itinerary.  Thanks to a conversation with a fellow traveller while waiting for a bus earlier in Nagano, we found out a day trip is possible.  It took two hours and two buses to get to Kamikochi, the gateway to Chubu Sangaku National Park.  While no private cars are allowed in the park, there is a huge parking lot filled with buses which presumably shuttle passengers to and from the various stations so it didn't take long for the next shuttle to come along.  Everything ran smoothly with Japanese efficiency (as we have come to expect) with station masters at popular stops to answer questions and direct boarding.    From Kamikochi, we could see the Hida Mountain Range in the Northern Japan Alps, the highest mountain range in Japan.   We were able to see Mt. Oku-Hotakadake (3,190m) and the still active volcano Mt. Yakedake (2,455m) at Taisho Pond, reachable after a reasonable hike from the shuttle station.  We were lucky to see the larches in their peak autumn colours - what a treat!  I can see that gleam in the eyes of my much younger travel companions answering the call of the mountains to return to climb or ski at some later date... Hida Folk Village Scenic railway trip up the Hida river Terraced fields  View of the Japanese Alps from Hida Folk Village Thatched roofs on houses Inside the houses Inside altar Outside shrine Farmer's equipment Wedding gowns Wakayama's House from the mid-1900's - example of "old Japanese-style house with a steep rafter roof.  The ground floor was built by carpenters and the upper floors were constructed by the village people.  It took all the village people four days to make the thatched roof which is said to last for 40-60 years.  The fire in the hearth is always lighted, not only because it reproduces the atmosphere of the old days, but also because the smoke is very important for preserving the house in a good condition.  The smoke protects it from harmful insects, keeps the ropes tight and gives the house moderate moisture." from sign posted outside The roof as seen from the attic Impressive wood floor planks The Tori  gate leading to the shrine - again reachable via a millioin steps Streets of Takayama  Two interesting characters guarding the bridge in town - one has the longest arms, the other the longest legs!   Ashinaga (long legs) and Tenaga (long arms)- a pair of yōkai (supernatural beings or monsters) from Japanese folklore.  In the folklore, they are said to be from two different "countries" and work together as a team to fish. Tenaga climbs on Ashinaga's back, and Ashinaga wades into deep water, allowing Tenaga to use his long arms to reach and catch fish. The story is often seen as a metaphor for teamwork and utilizing different individual strengths to achieve a common goal.    (AI summary) Pagoda at Buddhist temple in town Old town street and shops in Edo-period (1601-1868) buildings. This willow is marked as preserved property The Miyagawa River flowing through town Old town at night An interesting encounter with a motorcyclist who parked his precious bike on the street so he can photograph it with the old houses.   Gyojin Bridge Takayama station at night The Abo Tunnel - an impressive 4.5 km long unnel providing access to Kamikochi.  I was very impressed by how it curves around like a regular road unlike most tunnels that are usually straight. Kamikochi with the Kappa-bashi bridge below the Alps Mt. Yakedake, active volcano Mt. Hotakadake Larches at peak An interesting arrangement on the trail - left and right tracks.  The Japanese are rule bound - you walk on the left and stick to it.  Given there is no plank in the centre, if you pass on the right you would be in the way of someone coming in the opposite direction.  A beautiful boardwalk over the marsh Reflections of the mountains at Taisho Pond - if we had gotten off the bus in the morning and hiked to Kappa-bashi bridge from the pond, the reflection would have been much smoother as it is much calmer in the morning.   Tuesday, 23 December 2025 Japan in Autumn - Kyoto Pt 1  We travelled from Takayama to Kyoto taking the southbound journey to Nagoya on the scenic Hida train in the rain. It was still pretty with the mist.  From Nagoya, it was a swift 30 minute journey on the shinkansen to Kyoto.  After we left our luggage at the hotel, a 5 minute walk from the Shinkansen, we thought we would venture out to have lunch inside the station.  It turns out Kyoto Station is not only monstrous in size and crowds but also in confusing accessibility.  It seems that you can only get from the west entrance to the east entrance on a certain level and if you missed the elusive signs and logic, it meant a long walk outside the station which spans several blocks.  Only on our last day did we figure out the route! My last visit to Kyoto was chaotic, marred by traffic jams and huge crowds during the cherry blossom season.  This time around I tried to dodge the crowds by doing things differently.  We visited the Fushimi Inari shrine at night - it was a short ride on the local train after the rush hour.  The shrine was beautiful at night and actually felt like a shrine.  What a contrast to my last day time visit. The Arashiyama bamboo forest was a terrible crowd experience on my last visit because we were stuck two hours in traffic and arrived midday.  This time, we tried to get to the bamboo forest early via public transit, although not early enough, but it was still better than the last visit.  The very enjoyable vegetarian lunch at Shigetsu together with  the fall colours inside the Tenryuji garden gave us a nice reprieve.   We moved on to the Otagi Nebutsuji Temple which is unusual with its unique collection of statues, with different expressions on their faces, some of them whimsical and quirky.  It was a thoughtful ending to the day. From the train ride to Nagoya The descent into the depths of Kyoto station This mural is so evocative of the station Fushimi Inari Shrine Some of the ten thousand torii gates at the shrine Fox guardians at the shrine When we left the shrine, the neighbourhood has almost shut down except for this food court that was still open.  It was a nice surprise to find a stall serving grilled unagi, one of my favourites. The Arashiyama bamboo forest The Hozugawa river flows beside the bamboo forest  Fall colours peaking in the Tenryu-ji Garden Inside the Tenryuji - this is an image of Bodhidharma,, founder of Zen Buddhism, emphasizing meditation and direct experience versus ritual.  Vast meditation room inside the temple Followers sit inside the meditation room looking out onto the zen garden (far from tranquil in this image) What a pleasure to walk through this beautiful walkway connecting the buildings, with the garden on both sides  Zen Garden inside temple Main pond inside the garden Shigetsu the vegetarian restaurant inside the garden. Glad I made the reservation for the vegetarian lunch months ago - place is fully booked and I could see many disappointed people turned back at the door. Tenryuji has its own bamboo forest without the crowds The Otagi Nebutsuji Temple with its thousand sculptures The Otagi Temple grounds are not pretty like the Zen Garden but it took us to a different human level with its depiction of the different emotions on these faces, almost a reality check - a great way to balance out the day. Wednesday, 24 December 2025 Japan in Autumn - Kyoto Pt. 2 Day 3 in Kyoto, we chartered a car and driver to take us out of town and was able to cover quite a few places in 9 hours - a very efficient way of making the most of our last day in Kyoto.  Our main destination, an hour away, was the Miho Museum, an iconic piece by architect I.M. Pei.  It was a rewarding visit with fall colours complementing the stunning architecture.   The Hachiman Bori moat, dating from the late 16th century, is a historic landmark in the old town of Omihachiman.  Old Edo-period houses lined the moat in some places.  We did not have time for a boat cruise along the 5 km long moat but it would have been interesting.   On the way to the our last stop at the Shirahige Shrine with its floating Tori gate, we dropped by the KyuChikurin-in Temple garden to see the much touted view from inside the visitor centre.  Thanks to a local who gently pointed out to me how to get a nice reflection of the garden on the window by putting my camera (instead of myself) on a table laid out for that purpose.  😔 The Shirahige Shrine was a bit of a disappointment because there is a highway and a fence which blocked access to the Tori gate.  Huge signs posted forbade the crossing of the highway and while I would have ignored them had I been travelling by myself, I didn't this time around.  There is a viewing platform this side of the highway but it was not high enough.  We subsequently discovered a parking lot quite a distance down the road that provided beach access but it meant a long walk back and it would have been too late to catch the sunset.  You win some, you lose some...     The tunnel exit at the Miho Entrance Another "At the Museum" shot At least show one exhibit here so it's not all about the architecture, but it is... Entrance to the tunnel The tunnel An unusual bridge near the museum - Omi-Odori Bridge an award-winning one, the first to combine prestressed concrete with corrugated steel webs.  It was the art deco look that first attracted me though. Hachiman Bori (moat) Charred wood on houses - Yakisugi, the centuries-old Japanese way of preserving wood  Old town street Himure Hachiman-gu Shrine -Shinto shrine in Omihachiman - city was named after the shrine; local merchants adopted the shrine as their guardian deity The Heiden (offering hall) at the shrine The upper window at the KyuChikurin-in Temple garden - the camera mounted on a table in thhe room produced this image with a reflection of the view. Window on lower flower The garden Shirahige Shrine - founded 1900 years ago, the oldest shrine in the area. Double Torii gates Sunset at the Shirahige Shrine  Subscribe to: Comments (Atom) Monday, 29 December 2025 Japan in Autumn - Miyajima  My visit to Miyajima last year was rushed as we were on a cruise and we had to make it back to the ship before it leaves port.  This time around, we spent the night on the island, and was able to enjoy the place after the day tourists were gone.  I had hoped to get sunset and sunrise shots of the floating Tori gate, unfortunately neither happened.  We could do all the planning we could around timing, tide tables, sun times, best time of year, etc., but we have no control over nature - at least it didn't rain!  Them's the breaks. It didn't take us long to get to Miyajima from Kyoto, via the faithful Shinkansen and the local Hiroshima train, then a short ferry ride - we were able to get there before noon.  We managed to hit Kakiya, the iconic oyster place, before the lunch time crowd.  This full course oyster lunch, with oysters cooked six different ways, was and still is the highlight of my two visits to the island. We walked through the Momijidani Park with fall colours at peak, had a coffee break in a beautiful tea house with a zen garden before we climbed the many steps to the Daisho-in Temple, attracted by its unique caves at the top. The temple buildings surrounded by fall colours gave me good reasons to stop and take photos while catching my breath. We were lucky to have made reservations at the Watanabe Inn, a traditional Japanese Inn, family-owned for the last 100 years, the current owner being the 4th generation.  We had a spacious room on the upper floor looking down on the garden.  This room got turned into a bedroom while we were eating dinner.  We enjoyed a delicious kaseki-ryori home-cooked meal, dressed up in the provided Japanese costumes.  The warm Japanese hospitality in the lovely inn was a unique experience for us on this trip. The iconic Itsukushima Shrine is a changed place after 4pm. The stunning red walkways again visible without the crowds and the Tori gate thankfully floating and isolated by the high tide.  While there was no sun set visible, it was still an awesome sight to see it at night.  Knowing that there likely won't be a sun rise either, I got up early nevertheless to indulge in one last experience of the shrine in the morning.  The tide was receding and there were avid visitors determined to be the first to get out there once the gate is clear.  I did not stay to watch that happen, with last year's memory of the crowds at the gate still vivid in my memory.  The peaceful evening and early morning on the island was a real treat. Floating Tori at high tide from land and from the ferry (below) An unusual green metal Tori gate, probably copper Oysters cooked six different ways At Momijidani Park Entrance to tea house cafe and its zen garden Daisho-in Temple Dragon carving under roof of pagoda At the top of all the steps is the Henjokutsu Cave with 88 Buddhist statues representing the temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, with sand from each site buried beneath them, allowing visitors to gain the same blessings as completing the pilgrimage by walking through this cave. (from Google AI) Our room at the Inn Transformation at night One of the dining areas at the Inn The Itsukushima Shrine  Offering hall View of the floating Tori from the shrine Floating Tori at night The deserted streets of Miyajima after sunset and before dawn Eager visitors ready to run in once the water recedes The gate still floating at dawn but you can see from the reflection that the water is getting shallow Subscribe to: Comments (Atom) Wednesday, 31 December 2025 Japan in Autumn - Fujikawaguchiko I have been lucky with Mt. Fuji, able to see it every time I visited, in spite of the notorious fickleness of mountains.  This time is no exception.  I could see it even from the train heading north.  It took a couple of hours even on the Shinkansen and then we have to catch a limited express bus from Mishima to Fujikawaguchiko, the town surrounding Kawaguchiko, the biggest of the five lakes at the foot of Mt. Fuji. We rented a car for the two days we were here and was able to catch the sunset at least on the first day.   It was a lung-burning exercise attempting to climb the more than 400 steps to tbe top of the Arakura Sengen Shrine in under 15 minutes in order not to miss the sunset.  But the iconic view of Mt. Fuji with the Chureito Pagoda in the foreground is totally worth it.  It would have been a nice spot for sunrise too but I didn't think I could do those steps again in the dark, so was relieved that the forecast was for the possibility of rain the following morning. The rain was short-lived and Mt. Fuji presented itself in different manifestations throughout the day.  The mountain is considered sacred in Japan and I can understand why - I can't help but be mesmerized every time I saw it.  So you will see a lot of the mountain in this collection with red leaves generously interspersed.  The stunning red leaves are mostly from the Momiji Corridor, a 150 metre stretch of red maple trees.  We also visited Lake Shoji, the smallest of the five lakes, a half hour away from Fujikawaguchiko, but the clouds rolled in and I couldn't get a clear shot of the mountain other than the top. Fujiyama from the Shinkansen - kudos to the amazing iphone Fall colours at peak at the lake The start of the 400+ steps up to the Chureito Pagoda Half way up  Near the top With the pagoda Hotou, a thick chewy noodle, is a local specialty we tried at a farm to table restaurant.  I love chewy noodles!  Early morning at the lake Fujiyama with fall grasses in the foreground at Oishi Park The start of the Momiji (Red Maple Leaves) Corridor  The north end of the red corridor There are some rich browns in the fall colours in Japan that I haven't noticed in Canada We drove to Lake Shoji, the smallest of the five lakes - it was just a half hour drive but we missed the golden hour.  Still it was great sitting by the lake to watch the last of the light disappear as the mountain top performed its elusive appearance and disappearance act.  It was a lovely end to this autumn tour of Japan. The Last Supper - a fabulous grilled eel dinner for me and sushi and sashimi for my travel companions The following morning we took the bus back to Tokyo.  And as luck would have it, our bus drove by what I thought must be the Meiji Jingu Gaien Gingko Avenue and I was able to catch a quick shot of the golden Gingko trees in fall colours.  It was on our original itinerary but we didn't visit because there was little colour change when we first arrived in Tokyo two weeks ago.  What luck to at least see them from afar. This wraps up our Autumn in Japan trip.  Thank you for coming along.