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。