Autumn is starting to make its presence known in Japan, with beautiful hues of red and orange and yellow starting to show on the trees. This is the season that makes me want to stop whatever I’m doing and go to Nikko, a collection of temples and a five-storied pagoda that are just about the single best sightseeing spot in the Kanto (Tokyo) area, especially when the leaves are just starting to turn. Fall is also time to break out the kotatsu, a low table with a blanket over it and an electric heater inside. During the colder months, everyone in the family will sit around the kotatsu with their legs stuffed inside, feeling warm and toasty while avoiding the waste of heating an entire room. The symbol of a kotatsu with a bowl of mikan oranges on when it’s cold outside it is a great image of the country.
Autumn is my favorite season to enjoy the beauty of Japan.
