Onuma Park

Autumn Color Report 2009
by japan-guide.com

This are the official japan-guide.com autumn color reports for 2009 from our trips to various autumn leaf spots across Japan. Check our page on Autumn Leaves for general information.

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2009/10/16 - Onuma Park

by schauwecker

I concluded my 3-day autumn leaf report through Southern Hokkaido with a visit to Onuma Quasi National Park just north of Hakodate. The park is easily accessible by train and is centered around two lakes, Onuma ("large pond") and Konuma ("small pond"), at the foot of Mount Komagatake. Attractive, easy walking trails provide visitors with views of the idyllic landscape.

Autumn colors around the lakes have reached an attractive state, but will improve further over the coming days. Maple trees provided the most vibrant colors. While some of them were still green, most have started to change into yellow and orange, and a few branches have already matured into shades of red.

Onuma Park through a colorful maple tree

The same tree as above displays the whole range of autumn colors

When I reached Onuma Park around 6:30am, morning mist still covered the lakes, but the rising sun quickly burnt it away. I encountered almost no other persons along the walking trails, which added to the idyllic atmosphere. Only when I completed my walk around 8:30am, the first bus loads of tourists arrived at the site.