Kyoto Report

Autumn Color Report 2014
Official autumn color reports by japan-guide.com

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2014/11/14 - Kyoto Report
by scott

I headed back to Kyoto today to check back on the fall colors around some of the city's most popular autumn color spots. As mentioned on previous reports, the colors around the country started off quite a bit ahead of schedule, but have been slowing down to the point that they are only slightly ahead of schedule around Kyoto.

My first stop this morning was to Arashiyama which was only barely starting to change colors when Schauwecker was here last week. Today there were more colors to see on the slopes behind Togetsukyo Bridge, but it still looks like it hasn't reached the peak yet which will probably happen next week.

A maple along the riverbank just below the bridge

The gardens around Tenryuji Temple at the center of Arashiyama were more advanced and looked to be just about at the peak around the pond area, but still looked to be approaching the peak in the more sheltered parts of the garden.

Toward the bamboo grove entrance to the garden

The sheltered parts of the garden had less advanced trees

The colors around Jojakkoji have improved quite a bit since last week, but it was still fairly green. I'd give it at least a few more days until it reaches the peak at this temple.

The colors up around the main hall (under constuction)

Some of the best colors were over at Nisonin Temple just a few minutes away from Jojakkoji. Most of the maple trees were more developed and just below the peak.

Maples near the entrance gate to the inner temple grounds

Some of the best colors on the temple grounds were up near the main hall

Next I took the long journey to farthest northeastern corner of the city to check out Sanzenin Temple in the extremely rural Ohara area of Kyoto. The Kyoto city tourism office says that the colors have reached their peak around Sanzenin, but there was still quite a bit of green around and I've seen better colors here in the past so I'm going to judge it to still be approaching the peak.

A small stream runs through the mossy rocks

I ended the day at Tofukuji, which is one of the most popular autumn color spots in Kyoto. The leaves don't look to have progressed much in the week since Schauwecker was here though, and it will probably be at least a few more days until the trees are at their best around the temple.