The Japanese love to celebrate the seasons. As autumn approaches, the Japanese longingly look forward not only to a relief of the summer heat, but also to the beauty of the autumn leaves. The most popular kind of autumn leaves are (Japanese) maple leaves, that turn bright red in autumn. They are called ‘momiji’, although the term may also be used to denote autumn colours in general.
While Japan is most famous for its cherry blossom tradition, the red leaves of the maple can definitely compete with the cherry blossom in terms of popularity. Maps and forecasts tell you when the autumn leaves are at their most beautiful. In the ‘top weekend’, Japanese and gaijin alike flock to the most famous autumn leaves viewing spots in the country (click here for a brief list), causing severe traffic congestion along the way. I have heard stories of people who set out to view the autumn leaves at Kiyomizudera in Kyoto during the top weekend, but who instead ended up spending seven hours in traffic and didn’t even get into the city at the end of the day. But of course if you do manage to get to a good spot, it is usually worth your trouble. Autumn in Japan is truly beautiful!
Toyota City Tip: The most popular place for viewing autumn leaves in Toyota City is Korankei Gorge, in the town of Asuke (Toyota City). You can walk up the mountain, visit the temple and enjoy various types of food and drinks that are sold at special autumn festival booths.
The Japans 
Where I live we don’t get much for color change during the fall. I have always said I would love to visit upstate New York to see the leaves change. Seeing your photos shows me that Japan has some great fall colors as well. Thanks!
As a child I always found the passing of the seasons and the autumn colours so normal. It wasn’t until I spent a year in Venezuela that I realized not everyone gets to experience the seasons. Japanese people on the other hand always act quite surprised when I tell them that we have autumn leaves in Belgium too.
Nice photos. I have been in Japan and it was fantastic!
I’m glad you got a chance to enjoy Japan!