Autumn in Fukushima

Hi

All this year it's seemed like bad weather every weekend and then brilliant sunshine once back to work. This last weekend was no different, a long weekend (Culture Day), when I went with friends to admire the autumn colours in the Aizu area, west of Koriyama. Despite the rain, it was magnificent. Hope you don't mind me showing you my holiday pics.

One of the Five Coloured Ponds (Goshikinuma) in Ura Bandai. Too misty to see Mt. Bandai.

Then on a train from Kitakata to Tsugawa in Niigata prefecture along the valley of  the Aga River

Met a steam train coming the other way

Then back by car. This river changes its name three times. It's the Tadami River from the source to Aizu, the Aga River from Aizu to the Fukushima border, then the Agano River in Niigata prefecture.

Stumbled on an outdoor art exhibition

Ditto.
(By the way, there was an electric fence round this field - to keep the monkeys out!)

Ensoji Temple in Yanaizu.
Legend has it that magical oxen helped build the temple, giving rise to
those red toy cows with bobbing heads (akabeko) you see everywhere

If you take a path up the hill to the right of the temple you come across this lovely autumn scene.

Then on to my favourite place, Nagatoko near Kitakata. Originally built in 1089 it's the oldest building in north east Japan. Open to the elements, with the thatch roof held up by 44 thick pillars, it was used for ceremonial shrine dances in the Heian period.

The younger gingko tree to the right of the shrine  had turned yellow but  curiously not this 800 year old tree. I'll have to come back later to get the classic shot of Nagatoko covered in yellow leaves.

Gingko leaves and nuts