Photographs by Surendra taken last year, some as late as November and December. “After a number of warm, sunny days, the bright reds, oranges and golds suddenly appeared. The leaves slowly reached their peak around the middle of the month and some were still glowing beautifully in December.”
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After leaving the Japanese Alps, I eventually resettled in a central location with my partner, Amrapali. Where we live in Hyogo prefecture is so central it has been called ‘the naval of Japan’. Being in a new area offered exciting new landscapes to explore. But it took time to do this as DIY on the new home prevailed. Getting my photography into full swing has taken a bit longer.
Japan is a long land stretching diagonally from north east to south west. The temperatures and climates at the extreme ends of Hokkaido and Kyushu vary a lot; as does the wildlife – from polar bears to oyster beds. Consequently, there are big variations across Japan in the cycles of plants. When the famous sakura (cherry blossoms) open and the autumn leaves appear depends essentially on location. Japan is well known for its spring blossoms. The autumn colours can also be outstanding.
Once the summer was over, I waited for the changing foliage. On a getaway to the rural north of Kyoto in late October, I was ready with my camera. A bit anxious that I was too late, I was surprised by being too early. The fall was only just beginning in the gardens of Kongo-in, a mountain temple renowned for spectacular foliage. I only caught a glimpse at the outset of the change (see the first picture). Yet not too far away in Masunoodera Temple, some leaves were already falling (see last picture).
Well, that was that for the trip! But I was in for a big surprise….
Near where we live in Hyogo, are two small, mostly deserted parks. One has the prosaic name, Sakura Park. The other, following a river, is called Mitani Valley Touching Water. We regularly walk in both parks. This year, the cherry blossoms arrived as usual early in spring. The mature trees were pretty but photographing them in any meaningful way was a failure.
On our numerous visits I was aware there were many kinds of maple trees in both of the parks. They were particularly abundant in the one by the river. On our return from Kyoto, I soon checked the parks out. There was absolutely no sign of any autumn colours. In fact, the maples looked totally bedraggled: as though they were about to lose all their leaves while still green.
During November it all changed. After a number of warm, sunny days, the bright reds, oranges and golds suddenly appeared. The leaves slowly reached their peak around the middle of the month and some were still glowing beautifully in December.
I found the best time to take pictures was during the afternoon, even the late afternoon. The light was good and the colours at their richest. Many photographers have commented on the unique quality of the light in Japan. On a good day, it can be very bright without getting too harsh or hazy.
The hues on many of the trees were very strong, especially the reds. In editing these pictures, I have tried to convey the power of the colours. To avoid unrealistic, gaudy impressions, some were toned down slightly.
With the variety of shades and sizes of the leaves, maples are the mainstay of the autumn in Japan. Even so, the fall is not only about maples. Other plants play their part and I had to include some examples. The fan-shaped leaves of the Gingko tree transform their green into various shades of mustard. Shiny, orange persimmon, or kaki, abound in private gardens. The sweet variety is even plentiful in supermarkets. Tall, Japanese silver grasses, susuki, are encouraged on hillsides and in fields. In Japanese horticulture moss, holds a special place. A number of temples have gardens exclusively covered with moss. Its green clusters are at their most brilliant from late autumn to early winter. So is the case with prevalent young ferns which often accompany the moss.
Related articles
- Autumn paddies in Japan – Surendra observed the growing of the rice in Nagano, Japan and documented his findings with his new digital camera
- Rice Fields in Winter – Surendra’s photos of rice crops in Japan during the winter
- Autumn in Japan – A selection of photographs by Shantidharm
- More articles on Osho News by Surendra
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