November 23, 2012

Autumn Wonderland

In Nara Park(奈良公園), maples and ginkgoes are boasting beautiful autumn colors
 in the thickening dusk. The  deer are going home.

 This year is very very special. Usually leaves of ginkgo trees turn shining  gold at first. Around the time the ginkgo trees are shedding leaves, maple leaves are  turning glorious autumn colors. So it is hard to enjoy both of them together at the best time. But this year we can enjoy both of them at the same time because coldness came earlier.

Is this a wonderful gift from a capricious Goddess of Autumn? The nature is weaving brocades from autumn foliage in myriad of colors. 

There is a Japanese expression "錦秋 Kinshuu" to depict the autumn beautifully decorated with autumn leaves. "錦‐Kin" means "Brocade" and "秋‐shuu" autumn.
In Nara Park.  A ginkgo tree looks like as if it wore crimson maple brocade!!

All photos were taken in Nara Park, Nara and in Jingo-ji Temple, Kyoto. 

In Nara Park,  children are playing with the deer after school.

Here is Jingo-ji temple(神護寺) on Mt. Takao(高雄山) in Kyoto. The mountain and the temple are well-known as popular maple viewing spots.  I did not see ginkgo trees here. I wished  there had been ginkgo trees.
These are the last staircases to the main hall of the temple. 
The maple trees are flaming and reaching their hands to the visitors!



 Nature pleases the eye as well as the palate. 
They are Tenpura of maple leaves, deep-fried maple leaves.
I bought them as a souvenir.

 A body of a car becomes a canvas! Nature is an artist.

The weather of the day when I visited was very bumpy. It rained and the sun appeared, and it rained again and the sun appeared repeatedly. 

But after rain, the shining of the leaves become even more brighter 
and their colors become more profound.

Oh, I found more ”Kinshuu-錦秋” here and there!! Let's enjoy with me!

Over the head

on the ground

In water


In an open-air restaurant  in a Japanese style

After dark


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56 comments:

  1. Your photos are amazing! I hope I can see the beautiful autumn one day :)

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  2. Beautiful pictures of autumn. Here it is allready more like winter.

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  3. こんばんは。公孫樹と紅葉が同時に見られてとても綺麗です。こちらはハゼが美しく紅葉していますがモミジはまだ少し早いです。
     モミジの紅葉の写真もも色々あってとても綺麗です。

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    1. 公孫樹という呼び方もあるのですね。初めて知りました。
      調べてみると、「漢字の銀杏は実の形がアンズに似て殻が銀白であることに由来し、公孫樹は植樹した後、孫の代になって実が食べられるという意味によるもので、ともに中国語から」とありました。
      minoruさんのおかげで面白いことがわかりました。ありがとうございます。

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  4. Wow, how beautiful! I absolutely love these colours of autumn in different shades and weathers! The nara park, the temple everything is looking so heavenly. While one artist is playing with autumn foliage and painting lovely brocades of the season, people like me are so fortunate here to have another equally talented one busy capture the works for all. Thank You, Keiko :)

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    Replies
    1. This year, maples are extremely beautiful. One temple in Kyoto said "The most beautiful during the past ten years."

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  5. Tempura of momiji leaves must be funny to eat ! Nice pictures indeed : thanks for this tour.

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  6. What a great collection of marvellous autumnal photographs, Keiko! I love all of them! You've outdone yourself!

    Have a great weekend, Uwe.

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  7. So beautiful and your eye and camera always capture things so nicely.

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  8. The fall can be so beautiful, fortunately there are people who can make great foto's of this wonder of nature.

    greetings Femke

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  9. 日本の秋の美しさ、そしてそれを捉える目と技術の確かさにKeikoさんの写真を見るたび感動します。神護寺の階段は長そうですね。さすが、モミジの名所と言われているのがわかります。人がほとんど見えないのはお天気のせいだったのでしょうか。携帯カメラで撮っている若い女性の後ろ姿が、なんともオシャレで素敵ですね。

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    1. 私が帰るころ、天気が回復しどっと人が増えだしました。若い女性ですが、携帯に写った紅葉をもっとアップしようかまよいました。高雄山は初めて行きましたが、紅葉ははっとするほどきれいでしたよ。いい時期にあたったんだと思います。

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  10. If only this could last forever and forever and forever ...

    Here in Tokyo we can already enjoy golden ginkgos, but the maples haven't turned red yet. You're so lucky to see both together! ^^

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    1. I thought this phenomena was nation-wide. But it seems only in the certain areas they can enjoy both. Here, maples are said to be the most beautiful during the past ten years. Rusousha, yes, Kansai people are very lucky!!

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    2. Guess what?! I saw yellow ginkgos and red-ish maples in Hibiya Park this afternoon! :D The maples aren't nearly as red as the ones in Nara, but it was beautiful enough to make me grin like a maniac. :)

      It was actually your post that made me wonder if I wouldn't be able to find maples somewhere. We only had a few hours of sunshine today, so I went to nearby Hibiya Park. Thanks for making me go! ^^

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  11. Very beautiful indeed! lovely pictures and colors.

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  12. The picture of the man with an umbrella walking up the steep steps with a little girl is enchanting. Good exercise for both young and old. I love how rain washes the leaves and gives them that extra sparkle. Your photographs have truly captured the magic of autumn in this post. And I was fascinated to learn there is such a thing as deep-fried maple leaves. :)

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    1. The photo you mentioned is my favorite. After rain, everything comes back to life, being filled with serenity.

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  13. Oh so beautiful!! As Rurosha says, maple leaves have not turned red yet around my house. Particularly love the third and fourth photos!!

    水にただよう紅葉の葉、いいですね。これぞ日本って感じがします。

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  14. What a fantastic , vivid autumn you're having! I like the varying light in your photos. The watery leaves, leaves on the ground, and leaves after dark are my favorite. Those steps are amazing, too. I'd enjoy climbing them while gazing at the trees.

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    1. Barb, once you have mentioned in your blog you are interested in steps. Me too. For me steps are excellent storytellers and fire my imagination.

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  15. Keiko, the colors in each of these are just beautiful .
    It looks like you are having a wonderful autumn.

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  16. Your photos take my breath away! So beautiful. Thanks for the joy.
    Mary

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  17. Keiko -- Autumn is just beautiful where you are! Thank you for sharing. I never thought of your country being so beautiful in the fall. (We always read about the cherry blossoms and the beautiful springs, but this is the first time I've ever realized how lovely it is there this time of year!). Thank you for educating me and for sharing your beautiful pictures and thoughts.

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    Replies
    1. In autumn, forests turn red, orange and yellow. You will be surprised with the astonishing variety of hues. Both Cherry blossoms and autumn leaves are very gorgeous. :)

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  18. 桜のときにも思いましたが、水に浮かんだ情景をsnowwhiteさんが撮ると独特の世界が生まれますね。
    「見渡せばはなももみぢもなかりけり、、、」ってなぜそんなに有名なんだろうと分からずにいましたが、河野裕子さんという歌人が「まずぱあっと桜花と紅葉が目のまえに現れ、そして何も見えなくなる、、、」と解釈されたとき、ああ本当にそうだ!と目からうろこでした。そんなことを思い出しながら写真を観賞しました。

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    1. 本当ですね。花と紅葉がぱっと現れ、そして消えることによりその後の「浦の苫屋の秋の夕暮」が全くちがいます!!私も、目からうろこです。

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  19. ♡¸.•°
    Olá, amiga!
    Essa vegetação exuberante já é um louvor à natureza.
    Boa semana!
    Beijinhos do Brasil

    ✿ °•.¸♡¸.•°✿

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  20. what gorgeous photos! and pretty amazing to see the dear so tame and close to the children!

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  21. 奈良公園の鹿さんと紅葉って凄い”絵”になりますね。季節は冬がすぐそこですが、残り少ない秋を楽しみたいと思います。
    I am stunned by variety of autumn colors! Great captures.

    Have a wonderful week.

    Yoshi

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  22. 神護寺の紅葉もすごくきれいですね。石段の紅葉、東大寺にもありますね。よく似てるのでびっくりしました。石段を下から撮るって、こういう事なんですね。紅葉の葉の三色の重なりがおもしろいですね。

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  23. such beautiful fall foliage! Love the reds and golds of the leaves.

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  24. こんにちは♪
    素晴らしい紅葉ですね!!
    神護寺の階段と紅葉がとても素敵です。
    でも登るのにちょっと息が切れそうですね^^;
    10枚目のお写真がすご~く好きです!!
    モミジの天ぷらは食べたことないです。サクサクしているのでしょうね♪

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    1. バス停からまず階段を下り、川まで行って、それから階段をずーーーっとあがっていきます。30分ぐらいかかりました。
      紅葉のてんぷらはあげるのに一時間かかるそうです。ほんのり甘くて、少し歯ごたえがありましたよ。何か、なつかしい味でした・・・・

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  25. Your photographs are always so perfect, love them! Maples and Gingko are my favourite trees. The weather everywhere seems to be different this year, in England it is colder too and so the Maples and Gingko are changing together here as well. Gingko is a very uncommon tree here, not many are planted. I love them and have one. The leaves are so beautifuly formed. Love the children with the Deer too! x

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  26. Oh my - the beauty, magic and sheer poetry of your photos and thoughts just takes my breath away! Fabulous and gorgeous post.

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  27. Keikoさん こんにちは。
    ご無沙汰しているうちに、週末は師走となりました。(^▽^;) 
    秋も深まり「世の中よ 道こそなけれ 思ひ入る 山の奥にも 鹿ぞ鳴くなる」なんて歌を想ってますが、黄色い絨毯の上、家路を急ぐ?鹿も哀しげに鳴いたりするのでしょうか? 本音は熱々の紅葉のてんぷらをつまみにビール飲みたいです。美味しそぅ。
    色づく紅葉も、Keikoさんの眼を通ると 万華鏡を覗く美しさです。実に素晴らしい!その中でも 雨上がりの赤い傘を杖に階段を登る親子、スマホで撮る観光客とKeikoさんの人を見る目に魅かれます。

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  28. I came back just for the pleasure to watch the very first picture of that serie. Extraordinary ; so much beauty intoxicate me.

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  29. Exquisite images Keiko.I want to merge with the colour of the red maple leaves.........and you eat them too? I love the reflections on the car,yes,nature is an artist and so are you,for seeing this and translating it into film.These seasonal Goddesses are capricious indeed,they certainly teach us to expect the unexpected!
    I loved your previous post,so simple and beautiful.

    Sorry about the late reply......the altar is still active.Don't ask me how it works but it's an interesting experiment.The energy of the crystals seems to be set within the image.Friends have tried it out with varied results.I'll be making others later but I'm not sure when.

    Wishing you a happy weekend,
    Ruby

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  30. Forgot to say.....it's on Starry Universe - 22nd september.

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  31. Hello, snowwhite.

    Lovely and heartwarming your works..

    Thank you for your visit.
    I thank for your usual and hearty support.
    The prayer for all peace.

    Have a good weekend. ruma❃

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  32. There's a tiny japanese garden near paris, but it can't compare to such a wonderfull display of colours.

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  33. wow, just amazing colours!!!
    thanks for this awesome autumn trip!!!

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  34. the maples are extraordinarily graceful and it's as if I'm watching a dancer, gliding and leaping. seeing the magic that you've captured and shared here has been the highlight of my day and I'm filled with joy. the beauty is intoxicating. thank you Keiko. happy week to you.

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  35. Miejsca w których jesteś są piękne. Drzewa mają piękne kolory. Dzieci bawiące się z jeleniami, to bardzo miły widok. Na zdjęcia patrzyłam z wielką przyjemnością, bo są cudowne. Oglądałam też posty poniżej, są równie świetne. Bardzo chętnie zostanę u Ciebie na stałe, jeśli zrobisz to samo. Przepraszam, że tak piszę, ale wiele blogowiczów po moim zapisaniu się u nich, zapomina o mnie. Pozdrawiam cieplutko.
    Places where you are beautiful. Trees are beautiful colors. Children playing with deer, a very nice view. I looked at the pictures with great pleasure, because they are wonderful. I watched it posts below, are equally great. I'd love to stay with you permanently, if you do the same. I'm sorry that I write, but many bloggers after my signing up with them, forget about me. Regards warm.

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    1. :)))Thank you for your understanding and best regards.

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  36. Hi Keiko,
    Japan is like Eden!!! Wonderful
    Your photos have me touched, and the children palying with deer... lovely!
    The nature is an artist and you too.
    hughs

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  37. Such beauty – such splendor! If I had a park like this close to me I think it would be hard for me to go back home. The maples are stunning – nature in all its brilliance – I love it.

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  38. The colours of the leaves and views of the park are stunning, thank you for sharing.

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  39. Hello Keiko!
    I like your photography very much!
    I am happy to discover your blog and Japan is a country I wish so much to visit one day!
    Through your eyes it seems divine!
    Keep well!

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  40. Pretty, serene pics from Japan. Enjoyed it thoroughly!

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  41. ✿✿°•.
    Imagens lindas.
    Imagens super lindas!!!!
    A natureza é sempre bonita.

    Bom domingo!
    Boa semana!
    Beijinhos.
    Brasil
    ¸.✿°°•.¸.¸•°♡⊱╮╮

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  42. ¡Enhorabuena! por tan interesante blog. Las fotografías son preciosas.
    Un saludo.

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  43. Incredibly beautiful photographs! I wish I could see such autumn with my own eyes.

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Thanks a lot for visiting my blog and leaving warm messages. I will visit your site soon. keiko

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