Japanese Maples

Just like other countries, notably Canada, Japan is the house of many local cultivars of maple which reach the peak of their beauty in autumn, when these trees paint the landscape with their beautiful colors. The association of maples with autumn is so strong that, although the tree is correctly called kaede in Japanese, many call it just momiji which is actually a word for the autumn foliage in general. So we have Iroha momiji ("1-2-3 maple", Acer palmatum), Yama momiji ("mountain maple", Acer palmatum var. matsumurae), Ō momiji ("big maple", Acer amoenum) and so on, and all of them are marvelous.

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Maples in Korakuen

Korakuen too is strongly related to maple. The garden houses this tree since its very construction in the late 17th century: the earliest ezu (painted map) of the garden, dated back to 1716, shows two groves almost completely consisting of various kinds of maples and called Chishio-no-mori and Shinzan, and many other specimens distributed here and here, notably around the Jigen-dō Temple and among the cherry blossoms and pines of Nishiki-ga-oka Grove. 300 years later the situation is not so different, since we still have the two groves and some stand-alone trees dotting specific corners of the garden.

Chishio-no-mori Grove

Chishio-no-mori Grove is possibly the most beautiful and certainly the most famous maple area in Korakuen. Its name is a poetic play-of-word as chishio means "dyeing one thousand (which is, unnumerable) times": a metaphor for the maple leaves gradually turning red like a cloth turns red in dyeing. The area contains about 100 trees of different cultivars, so that they turn red at different moments of the year and from spring to autumn there is always a stunning balance between green and red foliage. Between October and December, the grove reaches its peak as it becomes quite entirely red: a kaleidoscope of nuances not to be missed.

Shinzan

Shinzan ("new hill", since it was erected as an artificial mound when the garden was constructed) sits on the southern side of Yushinzan Hill: although smaller than Chishio-no-mori Grove, this area too contains so many maples trees in such a dense thick that the area becomes a visitors' favorite during autumn. The middle path is just perfect for lovely romantic walks.

Other Areas

Maples are not the only trees changing their make-up in autumn: many other deciduous plants in the garden, and along the promenade surrounding the garden, change their colors into a yellow, orange and red flamboyant fantasia. Bonus: the evergreen trees like pines keep their color so that there is an even more interesting contrast with the other trees.

Autumn Fantasy Garden Night Opening and Illumination Event

All of this is visible not just only by daytime, but by nighttime too: every year at late November the garden keeps its gate open after dusk during the event "Autumn Fantasy Garden" to let the visitors enjoy the beauty of the autumn foliage by night. Moreover, the garden is filled with splendid, magical light installations on its lawns and among its trees, making a stroll in the garden an even better experience; concerts, workshops and other activities make the visit of Korakuen an unforgettable one.

Reporter:Mario Pasqualini

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