Kyoto autumn foliage finally at best for viewing

Dec 05, 2024 | News On Japan

Dec 05, 2024 (NHK) - The autumn foliage in Kyoto City, western Japan, has arrived about 10 days later than normal this year.

Tofukuji, one of the many Buddhist temples in the ancient capital, has about 2,000 maple trees on its premises.

Temple officials say the changing leaves are usually at the best around November 20. But this year, the peak only arrived this week.

A woman in her 60s from Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo said she had planned to visit in November, but she rescheduled her trip.

The regional weather observatory says the benchmark maple tree at the city's Nijojo Castle is usually at peak autumn color around December 5. But this year, many of the tree's leaves have yet to begin changing color.

The operator of the Eizan Railway, which runs along the city's northern mountains, illuminates the maple trees on the route every year in the autumn.

The railway has already extended the event twice this season because of the delayed arrival, and will continue lighting up the trees through Sunday.

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