Oct 30, 2017
Goshikizuka Kofun: Kobe’s Ancient Sacred Pyramid
In the Christian world this is the time of the year for All Souls’ Day when the memories of the deceased are commemorated. Many religions celebrate the departed at other times. Monuments to the dead are some of the world’s most revered tourist attractions, the Taj Mahal in India and the Egyptian pyramids of Giza among them.
Japan has its own ancient burial tombs, known as kofun, or “ancient graves.” Kofun refers to the ruling class in the country from the 3rd to the 7th century when mounds were built as tombs for assorted emperors, empresses, and other movers and shakers of the era. Entering this century, scientists had identified 161,650 kofun tomb sites around the country.
Creating Keyhole Mounds
Kofuns are believed to be unique to Japan, although the practice may have originated in Korea. The burial mounds would begin by placing a coffin, often made of stone, on the ground and walls would be built up to create the burial chamber. The soil excavated to create the mound would not be replaced so the pit could fill with water and form a protective moat for the deceased.
Japanese burial mounds were built in the shape of a keyhole with one flat-sided end and one rounded end. The burial chamber would be in the circular end and the square end would be where ceremonies would take place during the burial. Swords and other mementos were often placed in the tumulus. This mound shape resembles a keyhole when viewed from above but is not recognizable as such from ground level. The ancients would not tend these kofun mounds and nature would retake the grounds so that many burial tombs could well look like any patch of forest. Except for the largest of the kofuns.
Japan’s supreme keyhole-shaped burial mound is on the cusp of Sakai, an ancient city in Osaka Prefecture. A cluster of 50 burial mounds for the revered emperor Nintoku is said to be the largest area of any tomb on the planet. With an estimated 2,000 laborers toiling every day for 16 years, the mound grew to 35 meters high and 486 meters long.
Kobe’s Goshikizuka Kofun
The Goshikizuka Kofun, “five colored tomb”, is the largest keyhole burial tomb in Hyogo Prefecture. While not half the size of the Nintoku structure, it is nonetheless an impressive feat of ancient architecture, rising 18 meters tall and stretching 194 meters across. The interred residents are believed to have been an important local clan in the 4th century that held sway over the present Akashi Kaikyo region.
In the 1960s, a renovation was undertaken to preserve the 1600-year old relic. The sides of the mound are covered in river stones called fukiishi in what is thought to have been a common building practice. While visitors can not examine the interior of the burial tomb, flights of concrete steps lead to the terraces and flattened top of the Goshikizuka Kofun, which serves up photo-worthy views of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Kobe Bay and the surrounding cityscape.
Goshikizuka Kofun
4-1 Goshikiyama, Tarumi Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture 655-0035 (map link)
www.goshikiduka.org
Visitors can find Goshikizuka Kofun a short walk from San’yodenki Tetsudo San’yo-Dentetsu-Main Line Kasumigaoka (Hyogo) or the JR Nishinihon JR San’yo Main Line (Kobe-Okayama) Tarumi (Hyogo) West Exit.
By Saigen Jiro (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
Oct 30, 2017
Kobe Gives Birth to Spirit of Volunteerism in Japan
On January 17, 1995, the Great Hanshin earthquake struck Kobe and over 6,000 people lost their lives. In the aftermath of the disaster it is estimated that over one million volunteers came forward to provide help to those in need. While that does not sound remarkable in light of recent modern disasters it was unprecedented in Japan, a country that did not have a strong culture of volunteerism at the time.
Contrast that to the United States, which has the highest rate of volunteerism in the world. Over 56% of Americans, nearly 200 million people, engage in some sort of volunteer work during the year. What are the reasons for this?
The United States was founded as the world’s first experiment in representative democracy. For almost 250 years the country’s philosophy is that the “people” come first, not the government. In almost every other country in the world, the government is supreme. A couple of centuries of rule by the people pales in comparison to a couple thousand years of government by a ruling class, as experienced in Japan. People in Japan are used to having the government take care of those in need.
Another factor is religion. Much of American volunteerism comes out of churches and synagogues where the practice has become internalized among the congregations. Japanese philosophy centers around service and sacrifice with less of a “give-to-get” ethos.
Volunteerism in Japan before the Hanshin Earthquake
Volunteerism was not unheard of in Japan before the devastating earthquake. There were 60,738 volunteer groups in the country according to the Japanese Council of Social Welfare. Their efforts were small and largely unseen.
But the extreme loss of life and $100 billion in property damage in Kobe after the tremors was largely seen as a failure of government in disaster preparedness and response. When Japanese citizens saw prolonged delays by reconstruction and aid crews, they stepped forward in waves to help. Many were young people who traveled hundreds of miles to Kobe. Publications in Japan called the effort “Year One of the Volunteer Age” and trumpeted a “volunteer revolution.”
The spirit of volunteerism spurred activism. In 1998 the Law to Promote Specific Non-Profit Activities was passed. This gave volunteer organizations in Japan official legal status. One of the reasons volunteerism in the United States is so prevalent is due to the financial aid and tax breaks federal, state, and local governments give to non-profit organizations. Now Japan has an equivalent financial mechanism. By 2003, the number of volunteer groups in the country had jumped to over 118,000 and the number of registered non-profit organizations tripled.
More Than Just Numbers
The volunteer revolution that started in Kobe has made inroads into Japanese civil society. When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck in 2011, there was no waiting around for a government response. Within hours, disaster volunteer centers directed by local social welfare council offices were on site. Local and national government agencies were co-ordinating disaster relief with volunteer civic groups.
Japanese citizens were also making generous private donations of money that were funneled into disaster relief non-profit organizations. What had been a hit-and-miss volunteer relief effort in Kobe 16 years earlier had evolved into an integrated system of relief efforts among voluntary and government agencies. The seeds of volunteerism sown in the disaster of the Great Hanshin earthquake had sprouted.
By ともあず (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Oct 30, 2017
Look, Up In the Sky – It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…Yes, It’s a Plane
People have been fascinated by spotting aircraft ever since Orville and Wilbur Wright bumped a fabric-covered airplane into the sky from the sand dunes in North Carolina in 1903. Even now, when more than 100,000 flights take off and land somewhere on the planet every day, plane spotting is pursued with a passion.
High tech cameras have helped spur the hobby and so has social media. Plane spotters upload their sightings to Twitter and Instagram and file reports on websites devoted to aircraft. Airports encourage the pastime by supplying observation decks for the shutterbugs to snap their best photos.
What Are Plane Spotters Spotting?
The proliferation of modern air travel has resulted in over 5000 airlines in operation around the world. All have their own distinctive, and often colorful, insignia. Like bird-watching, a plane spotter’s goal is to see as many airlines as possible in an outing. To facilitate this quest, the Internet offers websites that track airline travel across the globe. Hard core plane spotters can also tap into air traffic control with electronic scanners to heighten the anticipation of an impending arrival.
Other spotting techniques involve “collecting” as many types of aircraft as possible. Seasoned watchers can identify variations in big commercial airliners and there are also business jets, military planes, and general aviation aircraft to check off a plane spotting life list.
Plane Spotting in Kansai
Itami Airport was built in the 1930s as an installation primarily for the Japanese military. It evolved into the region’s primary airport for Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe and eventually became known as Osaka International Airport. In 1994 an artificial island was constructed in the middle of the Osaka Bay for Kansai International Airport. Kansai is now Japan’s third busiest airport and handles all the international flights into the region. Osaka retained its “international” designation but handles strictly domestic traffic.
Each year there are over 160,000 flights in and out of Kansai International’s artificial island. The observation deck is located in two buildings linked with a footbridge. The outside viewing platforms offer unobstructed viewing of the airport’s two main runways and the approach apron. To the lament of plane spotters, however, the orientation of the airport means many photos will will be aimed directly into the sun.
Osaka International offers a rooftop observation deck on both of its terminal buildings but many spotters prefer avoiding the airport altogether. On the opposite side of the runway system is the Itami Sky View Park with a large open viewing area and observation deck. The number 25 bus stops right at the park. Osaka International handles almost as much traffic as Kansai International but it is all domestic so airline and plane variety is limited.
By comparison to its two older cousins, Kobe Airport offers a more intimate viewing experience. Built on Port Island in 2006, the single passenger terminal handles a little over two million passengers a year and about 25,000 flights. The traffic is capped to funnel as much business to Kansai as possible. The one runway receives mostly domestic traffic and an occasional international charter. Skymark Airlines is the primary carrier.
The observation deck is outdoors, on the roof of the terminal. There is a long plank walk parallel to the runway and the grounds are landscaped with lawns and shrubbery from which to sit and watch the action below. There is a fence but the square holes are large enough at eye level to easily snap photographs. The observation deck at Kobe Airport is open until 11:00 p.m. to permit day and night photography. Save for the arrival of a unique charter flight, the variety of aircraft is not great but “Kobe spotting” offers an enjoyable entree into the hobby.
By BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada (Itami close final) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Oct 28, 2017
What to Eat in Kobe Besides the Beef
Tourists flock from around the globe to eat Kobe’s famous beef. But you’re a local now, and you’ve been there, and done that. Now it’s time to give some local delicacies a try. Here are the top five tasty treats the locals enjoy in Kobe.
1. Gyoza
Gyoza are delicious Japanese-style dumplings filled with some kind of ground meat and veggies, and wrapped in a paper-thin dough. They come in three styles, just like the chinese potstickers: pan fried, boiled, and deep fried.
You can get gyoza at just about any noodle shop, or casual dining establishment. They usually come at about a half-a-dozen per serving, and you dip them in a sauce that’s a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and sometimes a bit of chili oil for a kick.
There are various kinds of Gyoza that you can find throughout Kobe, and across the country. But when in Kobe, the locals swear by Hyotan. The restaurant has been open for over 40 years, and they are famous for their gyoza filled with minced pork, cabbage, and leek.
Hyotan may be tricky to find if you don’t speak Japanese yet — it’s under the train tracks of the Hanshin Sannomiya Station, and boasts red noren curtains you can’t miss.
The place is always packed with locals, especially during lunch. So if you want an authentic dining experience, head here!
Hyotan:
1-31-37 Kitanagasadori, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture 650-0012 (map link)
Open: 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. (weekdays)
11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Saturday, Sunday & Holidays)
Tel: 078-331-1354
2. Ramen, of course!
Ramen isn’t just delicious, it’s a fundamental part of life in Japan. But this isn’t the cheap, dried and packaged soup you’re used to finding at the grocery store. Japanese ramen is fresh, and indulgently simple.
The broth is usually pork based, but you can also get it with miso, salt, or soy sauce based broths. And inside are these delicious noodles — handmade and garnished with tender pork, and chives, and sometimes even an egg.
A local favorite in Kobe is Ramen Taro. They’re known for their fresh ingredients, and incredible pork broth. They also offer an all you can eat kimchi deal that the locals drool over. Kimchi isn’t Japanese though, it’s a Korean dish consisting of spicy pickled cabbage, seasoning, and sometimes other vegetables too. Give it a try!
Ramen Taro:
1-10-10 Nakayamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Tensei Bdg 1F, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture (map link)
Open: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m.
Tel: 078-331-1075
3. Okonomiyaki, known in the Kansai region
Okonomiyaki is described by outsiders as a crepe, pizza, pancake-like concoction that’s quintessential comfort food for the Japanese. But, those descriptions don’t get it quite right.
The dish is a flour based mixture with cabbage cooked on a griddle, and you can top it with whatever you’d like. So while it’s cooked more like a pancake or crepe, it’s more pizza-like in the sense that you can have whatever you want on it, and it’s not sweet or fluffy. Okonomiyaki roughly translates to ‘whatever you like grilled’.
Okonomiyaki is famous in the Kansai region, where Kobe is located. Kansai style means that you mix everything in the bowl first, then cook it on the griddle, and this is believed to be the original variation of the recipe. The other way to make it is similar, you just cook the batter and the ingredients separately, then add them together in the end.
There are entire restaurants that cater just to Okonomiyaki, so get out there and give it a try!
4. Takoyaki, another local specialty
These ball-shaped snacks are a flour batter filled with octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion — all fried up in a special pan. The little balls are then topped in takoyaki sauce (which is similar to worcestershire sauce), mayonnaise, and garnished with green laver (seaweed) and dried bonito (fish).
This dish is also a local speciality of the Kansai region, and can be found at entire restaurants that cater to the tasty treat, as well as food stands on the side of the road.
5. The baked goodies at Café Freundlieb
The cafe is a former church, turned German bakery. The couple was married in the church, and later purchased it and turned it into a cafe that is now a local landmark. It’s special to the locals because of it’s unique architecture, and the more European based menu. So while it’s not Japanese, it’s definitely a place the locals like to grab a sandwich, or enjoy a coffee with a pastry.
Cafe Freundlieb:
4-6-15 Ikuta-cho, Chuo-ku Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture
Open: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays)
Tel: 078-231-6051
Website (Japanese): www.freundlieb.jp
6. The coffee at Nishimura
Kobe is known for serving up delicious coffee, and the locals say the best place to enjoy it is at Nishimura. The cafe’s been open since 1948, and it offers 20 different blends of coffee, making it the best place to get a brew in town. It was also one of the first restaurants to introduce cappuccinos to the Japanese public — which are now extremely popular.
The cafe is located in a German-style house that’s become a Kobe landmark in itself. Inside you’re surrounded by antiques and wooden furniture, making it a cozy place to curl up with a cook, or have a chat with friends. This is where the locals hangout, and you should too.
Nishimura:
1-26-3 Nakayamatedori, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture 650-0004 (map link)
Open: 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Tel: 078-221-1872
Website (Japanese): http://www.kobe-nishimura.jp
So, get eating!
While we’ve recommended some great places to try these local specialities, there are plenty of places throughout Kobe that serve these dishes. So get out and explore Kobe, and try the delicious treats they have to offer.
Photo by User:663highlandUser:PyzhouUser:KENPEIUser:Laitr KeiowsComposition by User:Kyoww [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
“Gyoza” By Roger Wong from Hobart, Australia (20100130-44-Gyoza at Wagamama in Christchurch) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Café Freundlieb Screenshot
Nishimura Coffee Screenshot
Oct 27, 2017
Celebrating the Japanese Culture of Wood at the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe
Around the world traditional Japanese carpentry and craftsmanship is revered for its precision and quality. In 1984 the Takenaka Corporation, one of the nation’s largest engineering and construction firms, decided to preserve and illuminate those fabled building techniques by establishing the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe.
Takenaka had the bonafides for such a project. The company claims to be the oldest construction firm in the world. Namesake Tobei Masataka Takenaka was a carpenter working on shrines and temples when he started a business in 1610 in Nagoya. The family business was still going strong in the second half of the 1800s when it constructed some of the first western-style buildings in Japan.
The Legacy of Wood in Japan
One of the goals of the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum is to remind visitors of the importance of wood in Japanese culture. All of the nation’s sacred temples and historical buildings were constructed from wood. Whereas modern construction methods depend on uniformly consistent building materials, the individual traits of a single piece of lumber were celebrated by traditional Japanese builders. No detail was overlooked. If a tree was cut from a south-facing slope, its lumber would be used on the south side of a building. The grain of the wood was studied and strategically placed in the frame of a structure so as to build strength and prevent sagging. Japanese craftsmen would design buildings to anticipate shrinkage that would take place not in their lifetime but over centuries. Hence, the existence of many of Japan’s iconic structures.
Japanese forests once yielded a seemingly inexhaustible supply of prized Hinoki cypress lumber. Those vast forests have now been cut down and the museum provides an exhibit to display the various species of native trees that are critical to Japanese construction. The emphasis is on management of these often overlooked resources.
The Hidden Beauty of Japanese Architecture
In their completed form many teahouses and shrines appear to be of simple post-and-beam construction. In its open, two-story exhibition space, the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum lays waste to that impression. A full-scale frame of the Yakushiji Temple in Nara can be examined to understand the actual complexity and ingenuity involved in its construction. There is also a wooden skeleton of a typical Japanese tearoom on display with its bones of wood and bamboo.
One of the most obvious things in the museum is what is not seen – nails and metal fasteners. Skilled Japanese carpenters were masters of joinery techniques which get their due in many hands-on exhibits. Contemporary Japanese builders are renowned for making tiny spaces appear larger and more functional. The origins of those techniques can be seen in the carpentry practices of yore.
The Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum has over 30,000 tools and building materials in its collection. The organizers also sponsor workshops, seminars and classes in the pursuit of maintaining the Japanese culture of wood. The museum is located near the Shin-Kobe Station on the foot of Mount Rokko in Kobe. It is open every day but Mondays and admission is charged. Parking is free.
663highland [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons
ByAdmin
Oct 27, 2017
Fratelli Paradiso: Great Italian Food in Omotesando Hills
In 2001 ‘Fratelli Paradiso opened the doors in Potts Point, Sydney, Australia, where it is a staple of the Sydney food scene due to its consistently good Italian food and inimitable hospitality. The Omotesando shop itself is unpretentious and relaxed. You will find a handwritten menu on the black chalkboard and artists, and creative crowds come to check out the restaurant’s magnificent wall art. House bread and pasta are made fresh daily. The quality produce and seasonally driven food are considerate to all that is Italian, and an exciting and innovative variety of natural wines are available all-day.
Fratelli Paradiso
Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 4-12-10 Omotesando Hills 3F – Map Link
Reservations: 03-5410-8100
Contact: 03-3408-0800
www.fratelliparadiso.im-transit.co.jp
Access: Omotesando Hills Building
Image: Screenshot from www.fratelliparadiso.im-transit.co.jp
ByAdmin
Oct 24, 2017
Landlord and Tenant Responsibilities in Japan
In Japan, maintenance responsibilities of a leased property are split between the landlord and the tenant. The landlord is generally responsible for major maintenance, while the tenant should carry out minor maintenance.
Tenant Responsibilities
Tenants are responsible for the minor maintenance at their own cost, including the following:
- Standard Care: tenants must keep the property sanitary and tidy, and dispose of garbage properly.
- Cleaning Filters and Vents: including A/C filters, wall vents, bathroom vents, and washer/dryer vents.
- The wall vent type shown below is for mold prevention. The filter inside can be cleaned as necessary.
- Replacing Light Bulbs: bulbs should be working at move-in, however replacements are up to the tenant.
- Replacing Batteries: this includes for remote controllers (A/C, lighting, etc.), gas range (if it exists in the property and requires a battery), for toilet controllers (for washlet type toilets – if the battery runs out, toilets may have to be flushed mechanically per the user manual instructions until the battery is replaced), etc.
- Garden Weeding: only if there is a garden, and should be quite minor
- Notification Duty: tenants must notify the landlord when they will be going on long trips (generally over 30 days) or if there is any major issue that arises in the property (fire, leak, etc.).
Landlord Responsibilities
Landlords are responsible for major maintenance at their cost, including the following:
- Structural Repairs: if there is a water leak or other structural issue, it should be fixed by the landlord.
- Appliance Repairs: the landlord will maintain included appliances. In case appliances are specified as “leftover items” from a previous tenant, the landlord is not responsible for any repair costs.
- Trimming of Trees: usually performed once or twice a year, only if there is a garden
Failure to provide timely notice on an issue can lead to tenant costs; e.g. if an A/C is leaking, the landlord must repair it, but if the tenant only gives notice after the leak has caused water damage to the wall, the associated renovation costs can be charged to the tenant. Similarly, damage to appliances resulting from misuse or improper maintenance (such as damage to an A/C from clogged filters) could also be charged to the tenant.
ByAdmin
Oct 23, 2017
Fly away with me… to Hiroshima Airport
Like most airports in Japan, Hiroshima Airport is no different in that it’s located in the middle of nowhere. Unlike other airports, however, it’s not in any way conveniently connected to any major train stations. In fact, there IS no rail line in existence to service the area so you need to rely on road transport. Now some expat families do have cars, but you don’t necessarily want to drive and have to pay for long-term parking while you’re away on your trip.
So, what should you do? Introducing the Airport Limousine Bus! Thank goodness for that bus!
For those people living in Hiroshima City, you have the option of catching the bus from either the Bus Centre, located on the third floor of SOGO Department Store, or Hiroshima Station. I used to always leave from the Bus Centre, but I recently discovered the route from Hiroshima Station is not only shorter, but direct to the Airport, compared with the Bus Centre route which makes a stop at Nakasuji Station on the Astram Line. Best of all, it’s the same price. I also think the scenery on the Hiroshima Station route is prettier, but perhaps that’s just me.
Hiroshima Airport services both domestic and international flights. Domestic flights can be booked to and from Tokyo (Haneda), Narita (Tokyo), Sapporo, Sendai and Okinawa (Naha). International flights include destinations such as Seoul, Dalian, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Taipei, Hong Kong and most recently, Singapore.
In the past, many people preferred to take the option of going to Osaka or Fukuoka to catch flights which can sometimes be cheaper and more convenient to get to via Shinkansen than Hiroshima Airport. Recently though, with the introduction of cheaper airlines such as Spring Airlines Japan and more options for catching the Limousine Bus from places outside of Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Airport has become a more appealing option to use for transport between major cities in both Japan and overseas.
The Airport has three floors: the first, the arrival lobby; the second, the check-in counters and departure lobby and the third floor, the observation deck.
The first floor has a Family Mart convenience store for last-minute purchases of food and drink for either the bus going home or for those waiting to take a flight. Next to that are a series of ticket machines for the Airport Limousine Bus. Note that you can use your PASPY or ICOCA card for these routes. I find that most convenient, especially when I’m running to catch the bus after arriving back in Hiroshima after being away somewhere.
The second floor has a range of duty-free shops where you can buy souvenirs for yourself or friends and family. These include food items, particularly ones that are local to Hiroshima and surrounding cities and towns. There is also a pharmacy/chemist for basic medical supplies. Of course, if you’re leaving Hiroshima, there are plenty of Hiroshima Carp goods to satisfy your needs too. This floor also has a range of restaurants and cafes, but to be honest, the prices are designed for an airport (read beyond the norm) and so I always head downstairs to Family Mart for anything I desperately need.
I must admit, in the beginning I wasn’t a huge fan of using the Hiroshima Airport, but with more tourists arriving every year, the place has had to provide more services to accommodate them and that’s always a good thing.
Fly away to (or from) Hiroshima Airport today!
http://www.hij.airport.jp/english/
Timetable (including fares) information:
http://www.hij.airport.jp/timetable/access/timetable.pl?mode=en
Image by: nattou (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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Oct 15, 2017
Koyo, or Fall Colors in Japan
Korankei Gorge near Toyota City, Aichi
Viewing the changing colors of fall leaves or foliage, called koyo in Japanese, is autumn’s answer to spring’s more famous cherry blossom viewing; a traditional opportunity to get outdoors to live in the moment of the season and reflect on the impermanence of it all. Appreciation of the beauty of the changing seasons has been a Japanese characteristic since ancient times, and is even referenced in the novel “The Tale of the Genji;” one of the world’s first novels, written during the Heian Period (794 to 1185).
Starting in mid September the “koyo front” slowly moves its bands of color south from Hokkaido to central and southern Japan and the end of November where it turns to winter, and many families will head to local parks, or to the mountains and countryside to enjoy the cooling temperatures and spectacular views of changing leaves.
While some people celebrate the leaves much like they do the flower petals of spring, by spreading out a blanket beneath them for feasting and much drinking, it is more common for koyo to be celebrated by taking a short hike or walk through the mountains, or often in certain areas of the city, where the trees can be found.
Sometimes, the trees are further beautified by “illumination,” or the use of lights to create an even more beautiful and striking scene. Every region and location has its share of scenic spots from which to enjoy the explosion of color fall brings to Japan. If you are interested in getting out and experiencing this quintessential Japanese tradition we have collected some options for you.
Koyo, or Fall Colors in Central Tokyo
Koyo, or Fall Colors in Nagoya
Koyo, or Fall Colors in Kobe
Koyo, or Fall Colors in Hiroshima
Image: Korankei in Asuke by LENKA LESOLEIL
