Nov 11, 2014 - 1 min read

Gorgeous Colors of Shuzenji Forest

Enjoy the autumn leaves around Shuzenji, Izu

By Masayoshi Hirose

Community writer

Translated by Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

Brilliant maple leaves in the forest under the morning sunshine

Shuzenji Temple's entrance gate and the pathway to the main hall. The fallen leaves are scattered about due to the heavy rain and strong wind of the previous day.

The Japanese garden of Shuzenji Temple, which was specially open to the public during autumn season. This garden is reputed to be the best Japanese garden in the Tokai region.

Looking at the red autumn leaves through the belfry

Admirable view of one of the oldest temples in Japan, so old it once watched over the destiny of the Genji and Hojo clans.

Every photographer wants to capture this kind of scene, and of course I tried it, too!

It surely looks like a multi-colored brocade painting!

I visited Shuzenji Temple and its maple forest to see autumn leaves there on November 25th, 2012.

The Hojo Garden of Shuzenji Temple was always private, but this year it opened to the public for the first time during autumn. I booked a hotel near the temple and waited for the day to come.

I wanted to see the beautiful fallen leaves, but there was heavy rain and strong wind on the day before my visit, and the temple grounds looked like a mess with scattered fallen leaves. But you can't control nature, can you?

However,　the day of my visit dawned bright and shiny. It was as though the stormy weather on the previous day was only a dream. Under the clear blue sky of autumn I enjoyed the gorgeous maple leaves of Shuzenji Temple and its maple forest.

Autumn Leaves at Shuzenji in Izu Series 1. Autumn Leaves Along Shuzenji River 2. Gorgeous Colors of Shuzenji Forest