It’s already September. The cold autumn breeze starts to kiss our sun-drenched skin in the long hot summer months. What a relief! Goodbye scorchingsummer! Hello delicate autumn! Just by looking around makes my heart smile in excitement. Some leaves start to turn to yellow, orange, red and brown and one by one they fall to the ground. There is something about fall or autumn that makes me fall in love with it over and over again. The amazing beauty it brings to the environment when leaves change colors is extraordinary. I always look forward to it every year. I always take tons of pictures of the autumn trees I see around. There are so many trees that make autumn colorful, but there are a few which are easy to find around every corner of your neighborhood.

Cherry Blossom

This tree is famous in spring for its short-lived cherry blossoms or more popularly known as Sakura. Few might have noticed that the leaves of Sakura trees, change colors first among the rest. The leaves turns yellow first before turning to orange and then gradually to brown. As I have observed, other trees starts to change colors when Sakura trees have no more leaves at all.
Baldcypress

This tree is so majestic in autumn. Its height and shape and the deep orange brown color seem to conquer the surrounding and cover everything in its vicinity with its towering blaze of colors. This tree is commonly seen in parks and playgrounds. In summer, this tree is very green.

Sweetgum/Momijibafuu

Another majestic tree in autumn, sweetgum or momijibafuu in Japanese is undeniably beautiful. Deep, glossy green, star-shaped leaves mark the Sweetgum in the spring and summer. As the days shorten the leaves turn yellow-purple-red.

Maple/Momiji

The all-time favorite, and to which I consider the queen of autumn trees in terms of popularity, the Maple or Momiji. There are many kinds of maple tree. May it be Sugar maple, Red maple, or Japanese maple, all of these trees create dramatic fall views. Maple trees are what make Kiyomizudera in Kyoto and other temples all over Japan amazingly beautiful.

Ginko/Ichou

That seemingly yellow tunnel formed by the yellow trees lined up in both sides of a street, which you often see in posters or in your computer desk is none other than the Ginko tree. Ginko is commonly known as “ichou” in Japan. Ginko leaves turn bright yellow in autumn and when it falls to the ground, it seems like a nature’s golden yellow carpet that covers the ground and there is nothing you can do but appreciate its amazing beauty. However, you have to be careful because once you step on the Ginko seeds which also fall to the ground, it emits a very foul smell.

It was fall that made me fall in love with Japan, renewed every year in this season, and as long as the seasons change, my love for it will never change.