By Cathy Hirano

If you’ve read this blog before, you will know that I love Ritsurin, a traditional Japanese garden covering 75 hectares in the middle of Takamatsu. At this time of year, Ritsurin hosts its autumn leaf viewing festival, an event that has continued for the last 12 years.



The garden is illuminated until 9PM, allowing visitors to enjoy the beauty of the colored leaves and deep green evergreens shimmering in the night.





On the weekend, concerts and food stalls add to the festivities. This year the festival runs until Sunday evening, December 1. If you have the chance to go, I highly recommend it. While you're there, take a punt ride on the pond.



As a Ritsurin Garden fan, it is always a delight to discover something new. My latest find is those jagged rocks sticking out of the pond in the far left of the photo below.



Those are no ordinary rocks. Traditional Japanese garden design was heavily influenced by the Chinese, and Ritsurin likewise contains many allusions to Chinese philosophy. Those rocks represent an island located far across the sea, which in ancient Shinxian mythology was believed to house immortals. Twice a year—a month before the winter solstice and a month after—these stones turn to gold.



This phenomenon was first noticed by volunteer guides while taking visitors across the bridge just as the sun was sinking behind the hill. Hearing cries of surprise, they turned to see the rocks shining like gold. Rumors of this phenomenon began spreading about 4 years ago, but not many people manage to be in the right place at the right time. The foot of an ancient tree in the teahouse garden also turns gold.



This little bit of magic is caused by a glass covered building outside the park. At just the right time of year, it catches the rays of the sinking sun and reflects gold light into the garden. I have always thought the few buildings visible from the garden ruin the view. Although I still hope that they will be removed some day, twice a year I will forgive them for being there. This special “light show” lasts only 4 minutes and occurs around November 22 and January 22 between 3:30PM and 4 PM.
(Many thanks to Hiroko who caught the "show" on camera.)

Takamatsu Access:
Takamatsu can be reached by direct flights from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, by express bus from Kansai International Airport (3 hr), and by direct flights from China and Korea. It can also be reached by taking the bullet train to Okayama and changing to the Marine Liner bound for Takamatsu (runs every 1/2 hour; takes 1 hour). For more info see http://wikitravel.org/en/Takamatsu