Can’t you just taste that chill in the air? Can’t you just feel that cold wind in your face? Can’t you just see those changing colors of the leaves? Yep! Fall is definitely here!
Hello everyone, it’s me, Akie here again! I’m out at the Suishiin botanical garden here in Akita city, taking in all the changing leave’s colors, from green to red, yellow, orange, etc. We Japanese call this kouyou. We usually just talk about the red leaves changing, but I think all the different colors splashed across the landscape are so gorgeous and breath-taking, don’t you? Just like in the springtime when the Cherry Blossoms bloom, this time of year is special so you can find we Japanese moving all around our islands looking for the best spots to view the changing leaves.
And I must say, Akita offers some of the very best places to check out all the fall spectrum of colors. I mean, you can go to the northeast corner of the prefecture and see fantastic colors surrounding beautiful Lake Towada. At this time of the year though, it is packed with tons tourists taking pictures of the awesome waterfalls, beautiful natural scenery, and of course the changing leaves. If you like, you can also go to the deepest lake in all Japan, Lake Tazawa, which I mentioned in the earlier blogs and will no doubt bring up again. It’s where the colors are equally as beautiful. After viewing the leaves there you should definitely take a dip in one of the many onsens in the area. Most of them have outside baths so you can enjoy the wonderful natural waters, while taking in the beautiful scenery. You can also head up towards the World Heritage Site – Shirakami Mountain Range. We call it Shirakami Sanchi. It is filled with a unique variety of wildlife, and, of course, the colors are absolutely amazing there as well! To the south you can find a never-ending sea of colors from Mount Chokai in the west to Mount Kurikoma in the east. Everywhere you go in Akita it seems the colors keep coming out, and we absolutely love them!!!!
Well, I could talk all day about the colors up here because they really are a big part of what makes Akita what it is, and this part of Japan, so special. These colors tell us that fall is here, but it also reminds us that winter isn’t too far off. This changing of the seasons means restaurants will offer more nabe dishes, ramen shops will be packed, and naturally, fall and winter fashions will be all the rage. So, do you like my new fall sweater and high boots?
Soon enough, winter will be upon us, and I will be talking with you from the snowy covered mountains ,valleys and sharing with you all that Akita offer in winter. But until then, I just want to enjoy the beautiful colors. They don’t last very long so get out there and check ‘em out right now!
And, if you are lucky to be up here in Akita maybe we’ll bump into each other…or maybe you’ll bump into some other really nice bijin decked- out in her new fall fashion…Whomever comes first, ne…! Hehehe!
Wow,I can hardly wait until next time, so see you t then. Mata ne!
