京都の秋 - Autumn in Kyoto

●京都植物園 - Kyoto Botanical Garden
11月の3連休前に紅葉を求めて京都入りした。19日はカミさんの希望で植物園散歩。タイミングはもう少し後が最盛期かなと思ったが、写真では見た目以上に色が出ているようだ。植物園自体はとても良く構成されていて、春にはさぞ見事だろうと感じた。
Just before 3-day holidays in November, we visited Kyoto excepting autumn colors. We went to the botanical garden on 19th as my wife wanted. The peak of autumn leaves seemed coming in a few days or a week later, but the photos contained more than sufficient colors. The garden itself was very well organized that must be wonderful in the spring time.

●詩仙堂 - Shisendo
最終日21日の朝はまず詩仙堂へ。平日でもこの混雑ぶりだから、翌日からの連休は想像を絶する押し合いへし合いに違いない。ここは充分に秋色が楽しめる状態で、小さな庭園を楽しく見ることができて、幸せな気分になれる。対照的に曼殊院は遠出する価値が見当たらない。
In the morning of our last day in Kyoto, the 21st, we visited Shisendo that is known for its garden. It was pretty much filled with visitors despite the weekday morning including number of foreigners, and the following weekend holidays would be an unavoidable mess! This small but beautiful garden had full of colors, and we had a happy feeling being there. In contrast, we did not find any point of visiting nearby (but long walk) Manshuin unfortunately.

●高雄三山 - Three Temples in Takao
20日昼から急ぎ足のハイキングがてら、今が見頃と言われた高雄を目指す。京都駅から臨時バスが出ていて、料金も往復800円と至って効率的に事は運んだ。しかし期待していた紅葉に染まる山という期待は神護寺・西明寺・高山寺のいずれでも裏切られた。タイミングが悪かったのか、あるいは今年の紅葉は不作だったのか？
On 20th, I had a quick hiking to Takao in the afternoon because I was told the colors there were in peak. The bus ride of about 50 minutes was quite efficient as there was timely direct service from Kyoto station (for 800 Yen fare round trip), but in none of Jingoji, Saimyoji and Kozanji temples displayed much autumn colors. I had no idea if it was because of wrong timing or the season itself was not great this particular year.

●おまけ：琳派展 - Extra Bonus was Rinpa Exhibition
20日朝は京都博物館で琳派展の鑑賞。実はこれが今回の京都訪問のもうひとつの目的だった。宗達、光琳、抱一それぞれの画風について感じるところなどあり、良い展覧会だった。但し光琳の風神雷神などいくつかの作品は閉幕近いこの時期すでに撤収後だったのが残念。
20th morning was for Rinpa Exhibition in Kyoto Museum, and it was actually one of two major purposes of our visit. It was definitely worthwhile as I could personally digest the styles of Sotatsu Tawaraya, Kohrin Ogata and Hoitsu Sakai. On the other hand, some of great paintings including Kohrin's "Wind and Thunder Gods" had been withdrew as it was toward the exhibition ending.

吾妻渓谷 - The Last Views of Agatsuma Valley

数年後には八ッ場ダムの底に沈むであろう吾妻渓谷の紅葉を今のうち見納めに訪ねておこうとまたとないくらいの晴天の日に出かけた。吾妻線の川原湯温泉駅に降りてみるとすべてが様変わりして工事の真っ直中、ここから渓谷にアクセスはできないとのことで、一駅前の岩島に引き返す。無人駅を出るとR145を右にずっと進み、途中巨大な新しい鉄道橋をくぐる。歩くこと約30分でようやく道の駅に着いた。

Iwashima Station

"Michino Eki" is the access point to the Valley

僕は取り敢えず道の駅がある渓谷の南側を歩いてみることにした。20分くらいが経過して、十二沢橋を越えると遊歩道が現れた。ここから実際にハイキング気分で歩けるのは鹿飛橋まで谷を降りて反対側に回るだけのわずかなエリアで、10数年昔に吾妻渓谷を時間をかけてたっぷり歩いた記憶と比べると何とも寂しい限りだ。紅葉も見頃の最盛期と天気情報では伝えていたが、息をのむような風景はここにはない。草津方面の山は概して茶色が主体の紅葉なのだ。それでも赤く染まった木を狙っては写真を撮っておく。こうして秋の色を眺めるのはやはり楽しい。

Entrance guidepost for walkers

Bridge down on the Valley

Agatsuma Valley will be few years before going under water of Yamba dam which is being built now, and I thought this might be the last chance for me to see the autumn colors of the Valley, and I took the train on an exceptional sunny day. I got off at Kawarayu Onsen Station, but everything in this area had been completely changed and the Valley looked messy with construction machines. I learned that there was no access way to the Valley there, and I had to go a station back to Iwashima. Out of Iwashima Station, you take R145 to the right and you go under the newly built, huge railway bridge and beyond until you reach "Michino Eki" in about 30 minutes.

You can go both ways but I took the southern side of the Valley, and it took about 20 minutes or so for me to see the guide post of hiking way after I passed Junisawa Bridge. From this point, the whole area for the walk was only going down the Valley to Shikatobi Bridge and go up to the other side, which is rather short in contrast to more than a decade ago when I walked the whole promenade along the Valley. (And it will be gone for ever!) The season was right but nothing was breathtaking here. The mountains in this neighborhood around Kusatsu are generally brownish rather than red or yellow, so when I see red trees among them occasionally, I took pictures focusing on them. Such autumn colors are still pleasing!