Tokushima

Fall Colors of Iya Valley

Beautiful colored leaves in early autumn at Iya Valley

Takako Sakamoto Nov 18, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Everything seems fresh in this valley</p>

<p>Lively colors decorate the short autumn</p>

<p>Burning-red maple leaves on the far side of the river</p>

<p>At the bottom of the valley a river flows silently</p>

<p>In autumn, leaves change color from green to vermilion</p>

<p>Cold rain drops on my head from above</p>

<p>Beautiful rock surface polished by clean water</p>

I visited Iya Valley in Tokushima prefecture on November 3 in 2011, and enjoyed the gorgeous autumn leaves to the fullest!

Autumn in the mountains comes and goes very quickly. Deep in the mountains, Iya Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in Japan. At the bottom of the valley runs the emerald green water of the Iya River. I visited here just when leaves started to change color. When I looked up, mist caused by the rain was rising to cover the mountain ridges.

Although I love the autumn foliage in temples, shrines, historical sites and parks, seeing gorgeous fall leaves deep in the quiet mountains in a natural setting is just wonderful. Here, you can completely forget about the hustle and bustle of the big cities!

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Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...