Okayama Date Spots [Autumn] | An adult date surrounded by autumn leaves

A date to see the spectacular autumn foliage in Okayama

Autumn in Okayama is the perfect season for a date, with a variety of famous autumn foliage spots scattered throughout the city and mountains.

At Sogenji Temple in Okayama City , the maples and ginkgo trees that adorn the Sanmon Gate and strolling pond garden are in full bloom, allowing you to enjoy the scenery that combines the historic atmosphere with the vibrant autumn leaves.

At Okutsukei Valley in Kagamino Town , the beautiful valley along the Yoshii River is dyed red and yellow, and the Nishiki tunnel and nighttime illuminations seen from the walking path are breathtaking. A moment surrounded by majestic nature will vividly color your autumn memories.

Old Shizutani School

Okayama Korakuen Garden

Kanba Falls

Okayama also has many recommended date spots where you can enjoy vibrant autumn foliage, historic scenery, and magnificent nature all at once, such as the Old Shizutani School, a special historic site registered as a Japan Heritage Site, Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's Three Great Gardens, and Kanba Falls, which boasts a 110m drop! By touring the different autumn foliage styles, you can fully experience the unique autumn charm of Okayama.

Sogenji Temple

703-8271 1069 Maruyama, Naka-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

Sogenji, the family temple of the Ikeda family, the lords of Okayama, is a wonderful Zen temple filled with a solemn atmosphere. The garden is beautifully maintained and is famous for being a place where you can see beautiful autumn leaves in the city. In spring, you can see beautiful weeping cherry blossoms. The scenery is so beautiful that you will stop and look up many times. A unique feature of Sogenji Temple is that most of the monks other than the chief priest are foreign visitors. The chief priest accepts Zen Buddhist monks from all over the world. On Sundays, anyone can try zazen meditation from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Okutsukei Valley

708-0504 Okutsugawanishi, Kagamino-cho, Tomata-gun, Okayama Prefecture

[Famous for its autumn leaves! Walking is also recommended] Okutsukei Valley is a 3km long valley where you can enjoy the ever-changing beauty of the valley. Known as one of Okayama Prefecture's most famous autumn foliage spots, it attracts many tourists from outside the prefecture during the season. Autumn foliage walks with local guides are also popular during this time of year, and strolling along the stream while enjoying nature and history is said to invigorate you with negative ions. We also recommend walking while enjoying the magnolia and rhododendrons in spring, and the cool, fresh greenery in summer. There is a promenade along the river where you can enjoy the rare potholes. Autumn leaves: Late October to mid-November

Light-up of Shizutani School

784 Shizutani, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture 705-0036

Shizutani School is the world’s oldest extant public school. The lecture-hall is designated a National Treasure, and the autumn leaves of the two 100-year-old Chinese pistachio trees are a beautiful sight. Both are lighted up for your pleasure.

Okayama Korakuen Garden

703-8257 1-5 Korakuen, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture

A large garden built by Tsunamasa Ikeda, the second lord of the Okayama domain, as a place for relaxation. The spacious garden, decorated with seasonal flowers, is a different world just like the Edo period. In 1952, it was designated as a “Special Place of Scenic Beauty” as a historical and cultural heritage site, and received a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide Japan. Various events are held throughout the four seasons, such as tea gathering and moon viewing, and for a limited time, you can enjoy the ``Fantasy Garden,'' which is specially opened at night and lights up the garden in a different way than during the day. Volunteer guides (free of charge) are also popular with tourists.

Kanba Falls

Kanba, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture 717-0004

Kanba Falls boasts a scale of 110m in height and 20m in width. Walk for about 5 minutes along the well-maintained promenade to get to Takishita. You will be overwhelmed by the scenery of the waterfall cascading down the cliff. The waterfall is characterized by the fact that it is a tiered waterfall dotted with many small waterfalls. It is truly an art created by nature. The beauty of the surrounding valley is spectacular, and the season of fresh greenery in early summer and autumn leaves is especially recommended. It has been selected as one of ``Japan's 100 Views'' and ``Japan's 100 Best Waterfalls.'' There are also said to be close to 200 wild monkeys living near the waterfall. The monkeys will welcome you with their charm.

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Sweet temptation! A sweets tour to enjoy the autumn appetite

One of the joys of autumn in Okayama is taking a break with a sweet treat between viewing the autumn leaves or strolling around. The prefecture is home to a variety of unique shops, from gorgeous cakes made with plenty of fruit to elegant Japanese sweets that showcase the techniques of long-established shops. There are many ways to enjoy them, from relaxing at a cafe to sharing while eating on a stroll. Okayama sweets are perfect as souvenirs, so make your time together even sweeter and more special!

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