Try visiting a new place once a week: Autumn leaf viewing at Tonogayato Garden
I want to stimulate my brain by doing new and unfamiliar things!
With that thought in mind, I decided to start visiting various new places!
I started going to various places in October, and this time it isTonogayato Garden in Kokubunji.
It has an entrance fee, but since it is a metropolitan garden, it is quite cheap at 150 yen.
Looking at the garden map, it seemed a bit small, so I thought I would finish seeing it quickly, but no, that was not the case at all. There were many highlights. The autumn leaves were very beautiful.
The coloring is... maybe about halfway there. There are still parts that haven't turned red yet, so it seems it will become even more beautiful from here on out.
A weekday afternoon. It is so quiet.
Lately, I feel that spending time like this is a luxury.
Slowly, without thinking about the next plan, just enjoying the "now".
It is fun to go out with the children, but I can't really prioritize myself then.
But if I go out alone, I am free to go wherever I want.
Even when walking around a single garden, I am free to decide where to go, like "let's go this way" or "let's go that way next."
Anyway, it is fun.
I walk along the path while looking at the maple leaves that have started to change color.
There were also crabapples and Chinese quinces.
There was also a sign that said "Be careful as persimmons may fall."
The color of the persimmon fruit and the leaves are the same.
There weren't many fruits left, but looking at it again, the autumn colors of a persimmon tree are beautiful, aren't they?
It's scary to go to the mountains right now, isn't it?
You don't feel like going out for a walk to enjoy the autumn leaves with all the bear incidents happening here and there.
But there was such a wonderful place nearby.
A 2-minute walk from Kokubunji Station.
I never knew such a garden existed so close to the station.
I was surprised to find that there was a small waterfall and quite a significant difference in elevation.
On the high ground, there was a place called 'Koyotei' where you could look down at the pond.
I see. So this was a garden famous for its beautiful autumn leaves.
Although I came here without much research, it seems I arrived at a very good time.
I think it might be nice to come back once more when the autumn colors have progressed a little further.
I like green maple leaves, but the beauty of leaves dyed in red is exceptional.
Green leaves have the transparency of life, while autumn leaves hold the lingering resonance of life.
I think plants are truly mysterious.
To think that leaves which were once so green could turn such a deep red.
There was also a shishi-odoshi (bamboo water fountain), and I thought it would be nice to drink some tea nearby while listening to the 'clack' sound it makes.
In the end, I enjoyed myself for a full hour.
I was hungry, so I headed back to Kokubunji Station for lunch.
On this day, I went to 'Cafe Local' in the North Exit MiiTS building.
I was surprised by the new texture, but it was incredibly delicious.
It felt like I was eating something good for my body.
It was delicious.
It's a shame I couldn't eat dessert because I was already full, even though I wanted to.
Next time, I'll make the main dish lighter so I can have dessert too.
Regardless, it's fun to go for a walk by myself during this time of year when it's not yet too cold.
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