Enjoy the Fall Foliage of Omori

Hi! My name is Shun and today I gave a tour of Omori to Zoe and Li on this beautiful fall day. While the walking through the townscape is one of the most popular attractions of this town, you cannot but help looking at the mountains during this season. The vibrant red and orange leaves of the Japanese maple together with the vivid yellow color of the ginkgo trees are a sight to behold. My guests on this day seemed to be avid photographers so I was glad that I was able to take them around various photogenic spots around town.

We first started at the entrance of the townscape of Omori. Luckily there were not too many tourists on this day, so my guests were able to take photos of the town without people blocking the view. One of the ironic positives of Omori is that this town is not filled to the brim with tourists. This allows guests to take pictures and enjoy the atmosphere without constantly worrying and being distracted by other people in the town. Today the townscape of especially special because the foliage of the mountains and the townscape blended together creating this perfect fall scenery.

We then stopped by Gungendo to enjoy the quart yard at the center of the store. The courtyard has various plants which bloom and change color during the different seasons. Many visitors enjoy this space because the scenery is always different depending on the season that they come and visit. Li and Zoe were both busy taking photos of the quart yard with the Japanese maple leaves fluttering in the air from the gentle breeze that was blowing through the trees.

We then walked further down the town to Kanzenonji Temple where there is a magnificent view of the town from above. The temple is located on an elevated area in the middle of the town, making it the best place to get a view of the town. Every season creates a different view from this location, from the quiet blanket of snow of the winter to the puffs of wild cherry blossoms during the springtime. Today the town was a quilt made of different patches of color from the trees. Thankfully here in Omori there are still trees which change color, unlike other towns where all their trees are Japanese Cedar. The clouds in the sky were also a very nice touch to the scenery as well.

One of our last stops of Ido Shrine where we found a large ginkgo tree hidden among the other trees. There is something special about the combination of fall foliage and a Japanese shrine. Some of the leaves had fallen on the ground, creating a carpet for us to talk on to the shrine. The torii gate was just rebuilt a couple of years ago, and unlike typical torii gates which has a red color, it was built keeping its original color. While some find it odd, I think it’s perfect especially during a time like this when it blends in with the surrounding environment without sticking out. I think Li and Zoe had a great time taking photos of this very Japanese scenery.