Autumn is glorious in Japan: the heat of summer gives way to cooler days and the landscape turns vibrant with foliage in hues from crimson to gold. There are many destinations across the country where you can enjoy this seasonal beauty, but one hidden gem is Omiya, located in Saitama City, which you can reach in as little as half an hour from central Tokyo. Hop on the Tobu Urban Park Line and head north to this attractive pocket of Saitama to escape the bustle and embrace the autumn.
Beautiful Bonsai: A Living Art
The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama, is dedicated to researching and preserving Japan’s unique bonsai (literally, container planted) culture. Countless bonsai – trees retaining their vitality and power but constrained by the pots which are their homes – are on display for visitors to enjoy alongside artwork depicting bonsai. The Museum runs a seasonally inspired curation programme to highlight those trees at the peak of their beauty. This November, the theme is “Deepening Colours”, and visitors can take in the full range of autumnal foliage colour change: green to auburn to gold to red. In December, the theme will change to “Beauty of Winter Trees” and will feature windswept maple trees with exquisitely wintry, spindly branches.
Access: 10 minutes’ walk from Omiya Koen Station on the Tobu Urban Park Line (also known as the Noda Line)
Omiya Park: An Autumn Oasis
This vast park, located next to a Shinto shrine that’s more than 2,400 years old, is an oasis of calm and nature: sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re still in a city. It is popular with local runners and walkers and is also home to a cycling velodrome, a park zoo, a bamboo forest, and a bird sanctuary. Wander further through the park to find the Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore, which celebrates local Saitama life and also offers regular hands-on workshops. In autumn, Omiya Park is transformed as the foliage changes on its countless maples, redwoods, and wax trees, . This is a great place to try out traditional momojigari, or “autumn leaf hunting”: try and seek out the finest leaf of all, while enjoying the uniquely seasonal sound of fallen leaves crunching underfoot.
Access: 10 minutes’ walk Omiya Koen Station or Kita Omiya Station on the Tobu Urban Park Line, direct from Asakusa Station
