Autumn Foliage Season (Koyo)

Japan's second great seasonal spectacle — mid-October to late November — when maples, ginkgoes, and zelkovas blaze in red, orange, and gold. Top spots: Nikko, Arashiyama (Kyoto), Kenroku-en Garden (Kanazawa), and the highland valleys of Nagano. The colour front sweeps south from Hokkaido to Kyushu.