Fall Colors of Iya Valley

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!