One thing that is interesting (and convenient) about the Japanese language, is that there are words for very specific things. For example, 木漏れ日 komorebi, which means “The sunlight that filters through the trees”, or 積ん読 tsundoku, which means “buying books and not reading them.” Things that take a whole sentence to explain in English, becomes something you can say in a word in Japanese.
One of my favorite of these words is a little less complex, but I have been using it almost everyday this Fall season. That word is 紅葉 kouyou, which means the changing color of the leaves in the Fall, or autumn foliage. Japan’s autumn has seemed to last a much longer time than what I am used to in the US thanks to the very gradual transition of the trees and temperature. However, currently, no matter where you go, there is beautiful 紅葉 everywhere.
I recently went to a park with my host mom. The park, known as Asukayama park is actually quite famous in Japan. You can ride swan boats, or order some Yakitori (yum!). It is also known to be quite beautiful in the Fall. My host mom and I mostly just walked around and enjoyed the 紅葉, but at just about any park you go to in Japan, you’re guaranteed to see some beautiful colors!
However, it is not just parks that you can enjoy the 紅葉, but even in the midst of the city, at schools, or surrounding shrines. Tokyo has a lot more nature than you may see in some US cities. My personal favorite 紅葉 to search for is on all the Gingko trees because of the unique shape of their leaves.
I hope that where ever you are, that you have been able to enjoy some 紅葉 as well. If not, maybe you will have to book a ticket to Japan before all the leaves are gone!