{"id":2752,"date":"2025-10-28T18:00:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T01:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=2752"},"modified":"2025-10-28T18:00:45","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T01:00:45","slug":"10-great-autumn-japan-travel-spots-for-fall-colors-and-retro-atmosphere%e3%80%90survey%e3%80%91","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=2752","title":{"rendered":"10 great autumn Japan travel spots for fall colors and retro atmosphere\u3010Survey\u3011"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-716001\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-10.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span><strong>Travelers give their picks for the best places to take a trip to see seasonal leaves and feel yesteryear vibes<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re right on the cusp of peak fall color season in Japan. The leaves have already started turning to vivid hues of crimson and gold in northeastern Japan, and are now working their seasonal shade-changes down towards the rest of the country as well.<\/p>\n<p>Compared to the lively parties of cherry blossom season, the fall leaves tend to elicit a more tranquil, relaxed response. As such, they\u2019re a great match for <strong>places with an old-school, laidback atmosphere<\/strong>, and Japanese travel portal <strong>Jalan<\/strong> has released the results of a recent user poll ranking<strong> the 10 best retro-atmosphere fall color viewing spots in Japan<\/strong>, so let\u2019s run through the top 10.<\/p>\n<p><strong>10. Watarase Keikoku Line (Gunma and Tochigi Prefectures)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/watetsu.com\/\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-715993\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-2.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"420\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Keikoku<\/em> is the Japanese word for \u201cgorge,\u201d and this train line lives up to its name, running through a range of steep mountains on the border of Gunma and Tochigi Prefectures. The line connects the towns of <strong>Kiryu<\/strong> and <strong>Nikko<\/strong>, and the most photogenic section of all is said to be between Sori and Haramuko Stations. During the fall color season, a train called the Torokko Wasshi, pictured above, has special runs with its side windows open, so that passengers can see and snap photos of the trees without any glass glare getting in the way.<\/p>\n<p><strong>9. Kurobe Gorge Line (Toyama Prefecture)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kurotetu.co.jp\/\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-715994\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-3.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"405\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Another mountain train line, this one runs through <strong>Kurobe Gorge<\/strong>, one of the deepest in Japan. The Kurobe Keikoku Line also has special trains that run when the leaves are changing colors, with bench-style seating to offer better views of sights such as the bridges and lakes you\u2019ll pass along the route, which is contained entirely within the expansive city of Kurobe.<\/p>\n<p><strong>8. Tadami Line (Fukushima Prefecture)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/tadami-line.jp\/\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-715995\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-4.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Oku Aizu<\/strong> region of Fukushima Prefecture is known for both its fall colors and its autumn fog. When the two mix together, it makes for a timeless atmosphere that visitors can savor while traveling along this train line that runs from Aizuwakamatsu to Uonuma and passes over the mirror-like waters of the Tadami River.<\/p>\n<p><strong>7. Meijimura (Aichi Prefecture)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meijimura.com\/\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-715996\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-5.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Coming down from the mountains, the next spot on the list is Meijimura,<strong> an open-air museum of preserved historical buildings from Japan\u2019s Meiji era<\/strong> (1868-1912) that have been relocated to the town of <strong>Inuyama<\/strong>. In addition to its 67 structures, the museum\u2019s grounds also has maple and dogwood trees that provide a beautiful scarlet backdrop to the architecture in the fall.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6. Shibu Onsen (Nagano Prefecture)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/shibuonsen.net\/about\/\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-715997\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-6.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" \/><\/p>\n<p>One clear advantage that fall color season has over sakura season is that the former makes a better combination with a visit to a<strong> hot spring town<\/strong>. With Nagano\u2019s mountainous geography, there\u2019s no shortage of forests with fall colors in the prefecture, and Shibu Onsen is one of its most charming hot spring towns, with wooden inns and cobblestone streets providing picturesque paths at the beginning and end of your leaf-viewing day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Mimasaka Takio Station (Okayama Prefecture)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.okayama-kanko.jp\/spot\/detail_10602.html\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-715998\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-7.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This one is probably of limited interest to international travelers, but this rural station on the Inbi Line in the town of <strong>Tsuyama<\/strong> served as a filming location in the <strong>Otoko wa Tsurai\/\u201dTora-san\u201d<\/strong> franchise, one of Japan\u2019s longest-running movie series. As such, it gets visited by both rail fans and cinema buffs, and the quaint station building, constructed in 1928, has views of autumn leaves from its waiting room benches.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Otaru canal area (Hokkaido Prefecture)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/otaru.gr.jp\/\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-715999\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-8.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a surprising pick: a fall color spot on the coast. Instead of maples of gingko trees, the colors here come from the <strong>vines that climb up onto the sides of the historic canal district buildings<\/strong>, creating a unique way to enjoy the season. This is Japan\u2019s northernmost, and coldest, prefecture, though, so be sure to bundle up extra-warmly if you\u2019re planning to admire the view after sundown.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Former Iwasaki Residence Garden (Tokyo)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tokyo-park.or.jp\/park\/kyu-iwasaki-tei\/index.html\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-716000\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-9.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"478\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Iwasaki family might not be one that most people are familiar with by name, but the company they founded, Mitsubishi, is world-famous. This estate near Tokyo\u2019s<strong> Yushima Station<\/strong> no longer belongs to the family, but is instead a garden and museum with a preserved mansion that\u2019s an early example of classical Western architecture in Japan, and the surrounding grounds include maples and <strong>a gingko tree believed to be 400 years old<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Sagano Romantic Train (Kyoto)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sagano-kanko.co.jp\/\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-716001\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-10.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cRomantic\u201d here is used not in an amorous context, but in the in the sense of grand, sweeping emotional impact. The Sagano Romantic Train travels along the Sagano Scenic Railway, a relatively short line on the west side of<strong> Kyoto City<\/strong> that follows the <strong>Hozu River<\/strong>. The scenery is beautiful in any season, but it\u2019s at its best, many would say, in the fall.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Ginzan Onsen (Yamagata Prefecture)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ginzanonsen.jp\/\">Website<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-716002\" src=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/rk-11.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/p>\n<p>With its wooden architecture, pedestrian-only central district, and gaslight illumination, Ginzan Onsen has long been considered one of the most beautiful towns in Japan. The hot spring town is most famous for its snow-covered scenery, so much so that it now <a href=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/2024\/11\/15\/one-of-japans-most-beautiful-hot-spring-towns-announces-new-limits-on-number-of-day-trippers\/\">caps the number of day-trip visitors in winter<\/a>, and it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/2023\/05\/31\/heres-why-you-should-visit-japans-best-winter-night-hot-spring-town-on-a-summer-afternoon%E3%80%90pics%E3%80%91\/\">not too shabby on an early summer afternoon either<\/a>. Sure enough, Jalan\u2019s survey participants say the place is lovely in autumn too, making it their number-one pick for a retro-atmosphere fall color trip, and providing <a href=\"https:\/\/soranews24.com\/2025\/10\/28\/national-geographic-names-yamagata-prefecture-on-its-best-of-the-world-2026-travel-destinations\/\">one more reason to visit Yamagata<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000003095.000011414.html\">PR Times<\/a><\/em><br \/>\n<em>Top image: PR Times<\/em><br \/>\n<em>Insert images: PR Times, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jalan.net\/news\/article\/887448\/\">Jalan<\/a><\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u25cf Want to hear about SoraNews24\u2019s latest articles as soon as they\u2019re published? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RocketNews24En\">Follow us on Facebook<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RocketNews24En\">Twitter<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Travelers give their picks for the best places to take a trip to see seasonal leaves and feel yesteryear vibes. We\u2019re right on the cusp of peak fall color season&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2752\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}