Sep 29 (NHK) - Tourists are enjoying the colorful autumn foliage at Mount Asahidake, the highest peak in Hokkaido, northern Japan.
Every year, large crowds visit the mountain to see Japan's first autumn foliage of the season. The top of the mountain is nearly 2,300 meters above sea level.
The operator of a cable car service says the leaves started to change colors near the summit early this month as usual.
The best view can be seen from a cable car station about a half way up the peak. Visitors were taking pictures of the red and yellow foliage.
The first snow of the season on Asahidake was observed on Saturday, and snow now covers the mountaintop.
A woman from Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo says she is really impressed with the contrast of the red leaves and the snow.
The autumn foliage will remain through mid-October.
