From Demachiyanagi Station in Kyoto’s Sanjo area, trains head to “Yase-Hieizanguchi Station” and “Kurama Station.” The first line to open was the one to Yase-Hieizanguchi Station, known as the Eizan Main Line. Later, the Kurama Line was created by branching off from the Eizan Main Line at Takaragaike to reach Kurama Station. Together, these are called Eizan Electric Railway (commonly referred to as Eizan Railway). Spring offers cherry blossoms, summer showcases lush greenery, autumn boasts vibrant foliage, and winter reveals snowy landscapes—this is a place where Japan’s four seasons can be thoroughly enjoyed. Especially in this season, both the Eizan Main Line and the Kurama Line offer spectacular views of autumn leaves.
Today, I visited Rurikoin Temple, a hidden gem for autumn foliage enthusiasts. Situated at the foot of Mount Hiei and at the entrance of Yase, a valley along the Koya River with views of the Wakatan mountain range to the west, this temple belongs to the Jodo Shinshu sect. The name “Ruri” (lapis lazuli) refers to one of the seven treasures that adorn the Pure Land of Paradise and represents the sacred blue of the Pure Land. The main garden, covered in layers of moss and surrounded by dense maple trees with a pure spring bubbling up, radiates a brilliance resembling the hue of lapis lazuli, which is how the temple got its name, “Rurikoin.”
Rurikoin is a branch of Muryojuzan Komyoji Temple in Gifu Prefecture and was originally designed as a villa. It began as a retreat for Gentarou Tanaka, the founder of Kyoto Electric Light (the predecessor of Eizan Electric Railway), and was initially named “Kikakutei” by Sanjo Sanetomi. During the Taisho and Showa periods, the current buildings and gardens were developed on its 12,000-tsubo (approximately 40,000-square-meter) grounds. The shoin (study hall), built in the refined sukiya style, was designed by the renowned Kyoto sukiya architect Sotoji Nakamura.
One of the most popular spots within Rurikoin is the second floor of the shoin, where the Ruri Garden reflects on the desks and floors. The natural light gently filters into the room, and the sight of the autumn leaves mirrored on the lacquered desks—the so-called “upside-down maples”—creates a fantastical beauty, as if one is being drawn into a world inside a mirror.

京都三条の出町柳駅からは「八瀬比叡山口駅」行きと「鞍馬駅」行きが出ています。最初に開通したのが「八瀬比叡山口駅」行きで、この線を叡山本線と言います。後に叡山本線の「宝ヶ池」から分岐して「鞍馬駅」行きの鞍馬線ができます。併せて叡山電鉄（通称叡山電車）と呼びます。春は桜、夏は緑樹、秋は紅葉、冬は雪景色と、日本の四季をここだけで満喫できる風景が広がっています。中でも今の季節、叡山本線に乗っても鞍馬線に乗っても最高の紅葉が楽しめます。
今日訪ねた瑠璃光院は知る人ぞ知る紅葉の隠れ名所です。比叡山の麓に位置し、西に若丹山地を望む高野川沿いの渓谷に位置する八瀬の入り口にある浄土真宗の寺院です。瑠璃とは、極楽浄土を飾る七宝の一つである浄土の色。種々の楓が繁茂する深山の地に、幾重もの苔に覆われ清らかな泉が湧く、その主庭全体がまさに瑠璃色に輝かんとする様子から「瑠璃光院」という寺号がつけられました。
瑠璃光院は、岐阜県にある浄土真宗 無量寿山光明寺の支院で、もともとは別荘として設計されました。叡山電鉄の前身である「京都電燈」の創業者、田中源太郎の庵として始まり、三条実美によって当初「喜鶴亭」と名付けられました。1万2000坪の敷地に大正から昭和にかけて現在の建物と庭園が整備され、数寄屋造りの書院は京数寄屋造りの名人と称される中村外二によって造営されました。
瑠璃光院の中でも最も人気のスポットである書院2階からは、瑠璃の庭が書院の机や床にリフレクションする様子が一望できます。自然光が室内に柔らかく差し込み、秋の紅葉が漆塗りの机に映し出される逆さ紅葉は、まるで鏡の中に吸い込まれてしまうような幻想的な美しさです。

Rows of Kidachi Aloe blooming with red flowers are lined up. The chirping of birds, “chee-chee,” can be heard, and when I look closely, I see a Japanese white-eye (Mejiro). They’re commonly seen in spring when plum blossoms are blooming, but I never imagined they would be attracted to aloe. When I searched online, I found many similar stories shared, which surprised me. Japanese white-eyes are known to favor the nectar of plums, as well as peaches and camellias, so the nectar of aloe flowers must also be sweet.
It is said that there are over 300 species of aloe worldwide, but in Japan, Kidachi Aloe and Aloe Vera are the most popular, with a few other varieties known for ornamental purposes. Kidachi Aloe is believed to have been introduced to Japan around the Kamakura period, making it a plant with a long history.
Aloe has been used medicinally since ancient times, even before the Common Era. In Egypt, it was highly valued as the “plant of immortality,” which is likely how it made its way to Japan. Research on aloe continues today, and it has been discovered that the bitter compound known as aloin has benefits such as promoting digestive health and relieving constipation. Additionally, aloe is said to have moisturizing, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it useful as a topical treatment for wounds, burns, and insect bites. This is why it’s often called the “doctor in a pot.”
While aloe is widely used for medicinal purposes, it is also said that the famous Cleopatra used aloe as a facial toner to maintain her youthful beauty.
Aloe Vera is also familiar as an ingredient in yogurt or as a garnish for sashimi. Furthermore, due to its high moisturizing effects, it is often used as a cosmetic ingredient.

赤い花を咲かせたキダチアロエがずらりと並んでいます。チーチーと鳥の囀りが聞こえますのでよく見ると、メジロです。春、梅の咲くころにはよく見かけますが、アロエにメジロなんて考えてもいませんでした。ウェブサイトで調べてみたら、同じような体験談が結構載っているんですね。驚きました。メジロが好むのは梅のほかに、モモやヤブツバキといった甘い蜜が好きですから、アロエの花も密が甘いのでしょう。
アロエは世界には３００種類以上もあるそうですが、日本ではこのキダチアロエとアロエベラが最もポピュラーで、後は観賞用に数種類が知られています。キダチアロエは鎌倉時代頃に伝来したといいますから、ずいぶん歴史のある植物です。
アロエは遥か昔、紀元前の頃から薬用として用いられ、エジプトでは「不滅の植物」として重用されていたそうですから、それが日本伝来の由来でしょう。現在もアロエについての研究は続いており、苦味の元となるアイロンという成分には健胃作用や便秘解消などの働きがあることがわかっています。またアロエには保湿や抗菌、消炎効果があるとされており、傷や火傷、虫さされの外用薬としても用いられます。「医者いらず」と言われる所以です。
薬用として重用される一方、かの有名なクレオパトラは若さを美貌を保つためにアロエを化粧水として愛用していたといわれています。
アロエ・ベラは、ヨーグルトや刺身としても馴染みがあります。また、保湿効果が高いので化粧品の原料として使われることもあります。

In Eastern and Western Japan, where the peak season for autumn foliage is usually reached by early November, this year the season is about half a month later than usual, and it is currently at its peak. However, one characteristic of this year is that the leaves seem to wither all at once without leaving much time to enjoy their lingering beauty.
Even so, the autumn foliage in Japan is undeniably beautiful.
The vibrant autumn colors can only be seen in deciduous broad-leaved trees among the many types of trees. These deciduous broad-leaved trees are predominantly found in regions such as East Asia, including Japan, parts of Europe, and the eastern part of North America. In other words, the very existence of autumn foliage is a rare phenomenon.
Moreover, while the autumn colors in Europe and America are often monochromatic, in Japan, you can see a rich variety of colors—red, yellow, orange—mixed with the green of evergreen trees, creating a multicolored and beautiful tapestry. Even the fallen leaves are picturesque.
Additionally, one reason why Japan’s autumn foliage is so popular as a tourist attraction is that the stunning autumn leaves harmonize perfectly with traditional structures such as temples and shrines. Particularly for foreign visitors, the scenery of ancient Japan, including traditional Japanese houses, exudes a mystical atmosphere, leading to an overflow of foreign tourists at famous autumn foliage spots.

例年11月上旬までに見頃を迎える東日本や西日本の紅葉の名所では、今年は平年より半月ほど遅れて今が最盛期を迎えています。そして余韻を楽しむ暇もなく一気に枯れてしまうのも今年の特徴のようです。
それにしてもやはり日本の紅葉は美しい。
美しい紅葉が見られるのはたくさんある樹木の中でも落葉広葉樹だけです。その落葉広葉樹が多く存在しているのは日本を含む東アジアやヨーロッパの一部、北アメリカの東部に限られています。つまり、紅葉がみられること自体が貴重なんです。
しかも、欧米での紅葉と言えば、単色が多いようですが、それに比べ日本は、赤や黄色、オレンジ色があり、常緑樹などの緑色も混ざって多彩で美しい紅葉がみられるのです。落ち葉でさえ絵になります。
また、日本の紅葉が観光地として人気があるのは、お寺や神社など、日本の古くからの建物が美しい紅葉と見事にマッチするからということもあります。とりわけ外国人には、古来の日本の風景や日本家屋には神秘的な雰囲気が感じられ、紅葉の名所には今や外国人が溢れかえっています。

Since November 7, when the Kofu Regional Meteorological Observatory recorded the latest first snowfall in 130 years, Mount Fuji has fully donned its winter attire, spreading a blanket of silver down its slopes. Meanwhile, the base of the mountain is still in the height of autumn, with the vivid colors of autumn leaves standing out. Whether viewed from Tokyo’s Skytree, the shores of Lake Kawaguchi, or a passing Shinkansen, Mount Fuji exudes a majestic presence, inspiring awe and reverence with its unmatched beauty.
As we approach the end of the sixth year of the Reiwa era, a year that began with the large earthquake in the Noto Peninsula, there have been moments of both joy and sorrow. Yet, gazing upon Mount Fuji, one cannot help but feel a sense of reassurance and peace. This sentiment is not exclusive to us Japanese; it is a feeling shared by foreigners who visit Japan as well. Many of those who experience the essence of Japan recognize that Mount Fuji lies at the heart of the nation’s cultural identity.
Surely, the 21st century will be remembered as the century of Japan.

甲府地方気象台130年で最も遅い初冠雪を観測した11月７日から２週間余、富士山は白銀を裾野に広げすっかり冬化粧です。麓はまだ秋の真っ盛り。木々の紅葉が目立ちます。東京のスカイツリーから見る富士山、川口湖畔から見る富士山、新幹線から見る富士山、どこから見ても威風堂々、その美しさと相まって、ただひれ伏すばかりです。
能登半島の大地震で明けた令和６年も余す所もあとわずか。今年も悲喜こもごも、いろんなことがありましたが、富士山を見ればすべてが安堵に収れんします。この思いは私たち日本人だけでなく、日本を訪れた外国人達も一様に抱く思いのようです。和の国日本を体感した外国人達は、その原点がこの富士山にあることを気づく人も少なくありません。
21世紀はきっと日本の世紀になるに違いありません。

A single flower stands alone, poking out of the sandy ground. A little distance away, there are leaves resembling small ginkgo leaves, overlapping and creeping over the sand. It must be a flower that has bloomed on a stem growing from those leaves. I took a picture and searched it on Google Lens, and it came up as Hamanigana (浜苦菜). It grows in sandy areas along the coast all over Japan, spreading with long underground stems. The leaves are thick with long stalks, and even if they get covered with sand, they soon extend their stems and bring the leaves back up to the surface. So, that’s probably why this flower is also blooming alone on the sand. The blooming season is from April to October, and the flower closely resembles that of a dandelion. Like dandelions, its seeds have fluffy hair, which helps them spread in the wind. The Chinese character ‘菜’ (meaning vegetable) suggests that the young leaves can be eaten in early spring. The taste is bitter, which is why it’s called ‘苦菜’ (bitter greens).

花だけがポツンと一つ砂地から顔を出して咲いています。少し離れた所にイチョウの葉を小さくした様な葉が重なり合って砂地を這っています。そこから伸びた茎に咲いた花なんでしょう。写真にとってGoogleレンズで検索したらハマニガナ（浜苦菜）とありました。日本全土の海岸の砂地に生え、地下茎を長くのばしてふえるそうです。葉は厚く、長い柄があって、砂をかぶっても、すぐに茎をのばして葉を砂の上にだすそうです。だから、この花も同じように砂の上にポツンと咲いたんでしょうね。花期は、4月から10月で、タンポポの花によく似ています。果実はタンポポと同様に綿毛が付き、風で広がります。漢字名の「菜」が示すように春先の若葉は食用にもなります。味が苦く「苦菜」になったんでしょうね。

November 7 marks the solar term of ‘Rittou’ (the beginning of winter) in the 24 solar terms of the traditional calendar. From this day, winter begins according to the calendar. Coincidentally, on this day, Mt. Fuji experienced its first snowcap, and the first “Kogarashi” (winter wind) blew in both Osaka and Tokyo. It was a rare day, as it brought together Rittou, the first snowcap on Mt. Fuji, and Kogarashi No. 1.
Although Mt. Fuji’s first snow cover was observed from the Shizuoka side yesterday, the Kofu Meteorological Observatory is responsible for officially observing and announcing the first snowcap on Mt. Fuji. Even if snow is seen on Mt. Fuji’s slopes or from the Shizuoka side, the first snowcap is not announced unless the crown of snow is visible from the Kofu Meteorological Observatory in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture. This is a curious example of Japan’s distinction between ‘hon-ne’ (true intentions) and ‘tatemae’ (public stance).
In any case, this first snowcap on November 7 was observed 36 days later than average and 33 days later than last year. The previous latest recorded first snowcap on Mt. Fuji was on October 26, 2016, and this year’s observation set a new record. In Tokyo, Kogarashi No. 1 blew 6 days earlier than last year, while in Osaka, it was 4 days earlier. It’s rare for Kogarashi No. 1 to blow in both Tokyo and Osaka on the same day, and even more remarkable that Mt. Fuji’s first snowcap also occurred on this day, reportedly for the first time in recorded observation history.

11月7日は二十四節気の「立冬」です。暦の上ではこの日から冬の季節に入ります。日を同じくして、富士山は初冠雪、大阪も東京も木枯らし１号が吹きました。立冬、初冠雪、木枯らし１号と三拍子揃った珍しい日になりました。
富士山の初化粧は昨日静岡県側から観測されていたのですが、富士山の初冠雪を観測、発表するのは甲府地方気象台です。たとえ富士山の麓や静岡県側から雪化粧が見えたとしても、山梨県甲府市にある甲府地方気象台から富士山の冠雪の様子が見えないときには初冠雪は発表されません。こんなところにも「本音」と「建前」があるのですね。
それはともかく、11月７日の初冠雪は、平年より36日遅く、昨年より33日遅い観測です。これまでの富士山での最も遅い初冠雪の記録は2016年の10月26日で、今年はこれを大幅に更新した訳です。木枯らし1号も東京では昨年より6日、大阪では4日早く、同じ日に東京と大阪で「木枯らし1号」が吹くのは珍しく、しかもこの日に富士山の初冠雪があるのは観測史上初めてのことらしいです。

I received a letter from a friend who lives near Mount Daisen in Tottori Prefecture. Recently, the climate has completely changed, and I heard that the autumn foliage in various areas is still not fully in color. So, I was a bit surprised by the unchanged beauty of the autumn leaves on Mount Daisen. I used to climb Mount Daisen often, in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In autumn, I always took advantage of Culture Day on November 3rd to make the climb. The view of the mountain foothills, covered in a colorful tapestry of autumn leaves, is truly nature’s own carpet. Sometimes, there were even snow flurries.
Descending from the summit, there is Jorenin Temple by the trail, and I am reminded of the time I stayed in a room with a round window, where Naoya Shiga reportedly worked on his novel An’ya Kōro (A Dark Night’s Passing). If I had the time, I would extend my journey to Hiruzen, on the backside of Mount Daisen, passing through Masumizu Plateau. The autumn colors along the way are breathtaking, and Hiruzen’s autumn foliage is equally magnificent. The memories are endless.
Come to think of it, even the ginkgo trees near my house are laden with nuts, and people gather to pick up the fallen ginkgo nuts. It’s truly autumn, isn’t it?

鳥取県の大山近くに住む友人から便りが届きました。最近は気候もすっかり変わり、各地の紅葉もまだしと聞いていましたので、昔と変わらない大山の紅葉ぶりには少しびっくりしました。大山には春夏秋冬よく登ったものです。秋には決まって11月３日の文化の日を利用して登りました。色とりどりにに彩られた紅葉が広がる山裾の景観はまさしく天然の絨毯です。雪が吹雪く時もありました。
山頂から降りると登山道の脇に浄蓮院があり、志賀直哉が「暗夜行路」を執筆したという丸窓のある部屋に泊まったことも思い出されます。時間に余裕があれば、桝水高原を経て大山の裏側にある蒜山にも足を延ばしました。途中至る所が紅葉紅葉で、蒜山の紅葉ぶりもまた圧巻でした。思い出せばキリがない。
そういえば、家の近くのイチョウの木も銀杏が鈴なりで、落ちた銀杏を拾い集める人もいます。やっぱり秋ですね。

The summer heat continues as usual. Though autumn festivals across the regions have ended and I would normally want to recite something like ‘autumn deepens,’ the heat and summer-like scenes still frequently catch my eye. Nearby, the fallow fields are full of blooming sunflowers, and visiting families are dressed in summer attire, enjoying shaved ice as if it were the height of summer. Yet, around the sunflower fields, some late-blooming cluster amaryllis are blossoming. However, as you go a little further into the hills, the scenery turns fully into autumn. Golden rice fields stretch out as far as the eye can see, with some already harvested. The persimmons are ripening nicely, and red dragonflies flutter through the air. And yet, in the distance, the sound of cicadas still echoes. My head is in a state of chaos. Is it summer or is it autumn? When I look at the calendar, I realize it’s already well past the middle of October.

相変わらず夏日が続いています。各地の秋祭りも終わり、本来なら「秋深し」と詠みたいところですが、この暑さといい、夏を思わせる光景もしばしば目にします。近くの休耕地にはヒマワリが咲き乱れていますし、訪れた親子連れも夏姿。かき氷を美味しそうに食べています。そのくせ、ヒマワリ畑の周りには咲き遅れた彼岸花が咲いています。しかし、その景色も少し山手に入ると、やはり完全に秋景色です。黄金色に染まった稲穂が一面に広がっていますし、刈り終えた田んぼもあります。柿もしっかり熟し、赤トンボも舞っています。そのくせ、遠くでツクツクボウシが鳴いています。もう頭はカオス状態です。夏なのか秋なのか、カレンダーを見れば、もう10月も半ばを過ぎているんですよ。

Sitting on the beach, listening only to the sound of the waves crashing, I find myself drifting into a light slumber. Then, I hear the faint sound of a boat engine in the distance. Though hazy, the sunlight shines brightly, illuminating the far-off sea. A small fishing boat bobs on the waves as if a spotlight were shining directly upon it. It’s hard to believe that the days were so hot just a short while ago. I can feel the coolness of autumn in the occasional sea breeze. At the same time, an inexplicable loneliness wells up inside me. What is this loneliness? Is it because this landscape, carved by the passage of time, reminds me of the fleeting nature of life, born and disappearing into this scene? Ah, a crab just scuttled by at my feet, waving its claws at me as it passed.

打ち寄せる波音だけが聞こえる海辺に座って微睡んでいると、微かに船のエンジン音が聞こえてきます。朧に霞んではいますが陽光は明るく、遥か沖合の海を照らしています。その中に小さな漁船が一隻、まるでスポットライトに照らし出されたように、波間に揺れています。ついこの前まであれだけ暑かった日々が嘘のよう。時より吹き寄せる潮風にも秋の涼しさを感じます。と同時に言いようのない寂しさが込み上げてきます。この寂しさはなんでしょう。悠久の歴史を刻むこの景色の中に生まれ、やがてこの景色の中に消えていく命の儚さを思い起こさせるからでしょうか。あれっ、足元をカニが一匹、ハサミをこちらに振りながら通り過ぎていきました。

The red spider lilies in the garden, which had been buds until yesterday, finally bloomed beautifully this morning. It’s already October. Of course, this is the first time we’ve had such a late blooming. While the mornings and evenings have become somewhat cooler, the daytime temperatures still exceed 30°C, feeling like midsummer. This is the same across the country. According to the app ‘Weather News,’ a survey conducted among users revealed that one week ago, in 25 prefectures, more than 30% of respondents reported that the flowers were ‘blooming.’ However, in this week’s survey, that number rose to 43 prefectures. Over the past week, it seems that the red spider lilies have finally started blooming widely from western Japan to the Tohoku region.
Looking at the percentages by prefecture, Kagoshima leads with 86%, followed by Miyazaki with 83%, and Kochi with 82%. While the Kyushu and Shikoku regions show high blooming rates, in the Kanto region, Chiba is at 43%, Saitama at 51%, and even Tokyo is only at 39%, indicating a rather delayed blooming. On TV news, shaved ice is still a big hit at various tourist spots that are crowded with many foreign visitors. One wonders when the real arrival of autumn will come.

昨日まで蕾だった庭の彼岸花が今朝は見事に花を咲かせました。もう10月です。もちろんこんな遅い開花は初めてです。朝晩ははいくぶん涼しくなりましたが、昼間はまだ30度を超える真夏日です。これは全国どことも同じで、アプリ「ウェザーニュース」によると、ユーザーに対して調査を行った結果、１週間前に「咲いている」との回答が3割以上となった地域が25県でしたが、今週の調査では43都府県だったとのことです。この一週間でやっと西日本から東北まで彼岸花が広く咲き始めていることが分かったそうです。
都道府県別では、トップが鹿児島県の86%、次いで宮崎県83%、高知県82%と九州や四国はともかくとして、関東地方ではまだ千葉県43%、埼玉県51%、東京都でも39%ということですからかなり遅い開花であることが分かります。テレビニュースを見ても、外国人観光客が多く押し寄せている各地の行楽地でもカキ氷が大流行りです。本格的な秋の到来はいつになるんでしょうね。