One November afternoon, driving home from hiking the Nishizawa Valley, we stopped off at Erinji Temple. One of the temple's neighbors was burning rubbish, and the smoke drifted lazily through the temple grounds. The result was about five minutes of magical lighting as rays of autumn sunshine slanted down over Erinji's second gate. Also photo-worthy were women wearing kimono, strings of orange persimmons hanging to dry, and the temple's elegantly twisted pine trees. Actually, The temples of Yamanashi seem to always have the most beautiful pine trees!
- 1 min read
Erinji Temple in Autumn
Ladies in kimono, drying persimmons and lucky light
![Cathy Cawood Cathy Cawood](http://a1.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/u/1713/240x240!/61d020bdef751f611f5e3c02.jpg)
By Cathy Cawood
Community writer
![Lucky light](http://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162724/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162724.jpg)
Lucky light
![A trio of kimono ladies](http://a2.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162726/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162726.jpg)
A trio of kimono ladies
![Three tiered pagoda](http://a1.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162725/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162725.jpg)
Three tiered pagoda
![Persimmons drying outside the souvenir shop](http://a3.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162727/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162727.jpg)
Persimmons drying outside the souvenir shop
![One of the halls at Erinji](http://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162728/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162728.jpg)
One of the halls at Erinji
![Small raked sand garden](http://a1.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162927/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162927.jpg)
Small raked sand garden
![Old gable roof tile standing in the garden](http://a2.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162928/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162928.jpg)
Old gable roof tile standing in the garden
![View framed by the gate](http://a3.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162929/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162929.jpg)
View framed by the gate
![Erinji's inner gate](http://a3.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162930/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162930.jpg)
Erinji's inner gate
![Erinji has some beautiful pine trees](http://a3.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162934/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162934.jpg)
Erinji has some beautiful pine trees
![Yellow leaves through pine branches](http://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/33429-162935/1000/yamanashi-erinji-temple-in-autumn-162935.jpg)
Yellow leaves through pine branches
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Elena Lisina
7 years ago
SO beautiful photos, Cathy!
Thank you Elena. This was a good photo day :-)
2 comments in total
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