Wakaura 和歌浦

夕日のさして山のはいとちこうなりたるに（in the dusk light the mountain ridges come closer) is in the well-known beginning passage of a famed 11c literature Pillow Book, describing the best time of the day in each season. In autumn, it is the dusk when the light gives a particular glow and shades of colour. In Japan, autumn is the time when colouring of leaves are enjoyed as momiji-gari (autumn leave viewing), a major seasonal outing like its spring counterpart hanami (cherry blossom viewing). Various deciduous trees including maples (kaede, momiji) and ginko (icho) display spectacular range of red, orange and yellow. Leaves start to colour when the minimum temperature drops below 8℃ and the colouring accelerates with temperature below 5℃, reaching its peak in about 25 days. Without good sunlight, water and temperature gap, leaves do not colour well or fall without colouring. The Japan Meteorological Agency issues “Leave colouring forecasts” with a chart of “colouring front” across the country so that people can plan their viewing trip at the locations of their choice. Similar forecasts are given for cherry blossoms, the first sighting of cabbage butterflies and the first hearing of a spring-announcing bird uguisu nightingale. This year, the colourig peak in Tokyo was 28 November. In the last 50 years, maple colouring has been delayed by 15.6 days and ginko 10.7days (JMA). As well as the delay in timing, with the warmer night temperature and the smaller gap in day-night temperature, the colours today are not so striking. Crimson or burning red maples are becoming rare. Among the numerous seasonal terms used in haiku, 山装う (yama-yosoou, mountains dress up) symbolizes autumn. In spring the mountain laughs, in summer it becomes lush and in winter it sleeps. The autumn dress is meant to be like nishiki weaving of many colours but with the climate change, mountains may stop dressing up in their special colourful garments (Photo: Simon Wearne).