Seasonal guide · November and December
Autumn leaves in Yugawara.
Autumn comes late here, and it comes down the valley. Here's where the maples are, the easy walk to see them, and where to bathe after.
Photo: yugawara.or.jp
When to go
Yugawara's colour starts on the high ridges, moves down to Oku-Yugawara, then reaches town. The best-known spot, Ikemine Momiji-no-sato, turns later than most and peaks from mid-November to early December.
The same weeks are mikan season, so you can pick fruit in the morning and walk the maples in the afternoon. Mikan picking
The easy walk: Ikemine
4.3 km, about 80 minutes, rated for beginners.
- Take the Oku-Yugawara bus from Yugawara Station to Oku-Yugawara-iriguchi, about 16 minutes.
- Cross the Ikemine bridge and climb about 40 minutes to Momiji-no-sato, where about 540 Japanese maples turn red.
- Carry on about 20 minutes to the end of the trail, then 10 minutes down into Man'yō Park, which has its own autumn colour.
- Walk through the park to the Ochiai-bashi stop, about 5 minutes, and take the bus back to the station, about 10 minutes.
There's no parking at Ikemine, so come by bus.
Ikemine Momiji-no-sato · Man'yō Park · Town course map (Japanese) ↗
The long walk: Tenshōzan and the falls
8.6 km, about 2½ hours. From the Oku-Yugawara bus terminus, the trail climbs past Kyorai Falls and Tenshōzan Shrine to the 30-metre Hakuun Falls, then comes back down past Fudō Falls and Momiji-no-sato and walks through the onsen district to the station.
The trail reopened on 27 January 2026 after a landslide closure. The bus from the Tenshōzan stop at the top no longer runs (except on 2 January), so plan to walk back down.
Colour in the hills
Up on Shiroyama, above the station, the summit turns too, with the sea behind. The Shiroyama hike
A bath at the end
The Ikemine walk finishes in Man'yō Park, right next to Kogome no Yu, the town's day bath. Soyu Terrace, the design spa, is in the park itself if you've booked.
Quick answers
- When do the leaves turn in Yugawara?
Late. Colour comes down the valley, from the high ridges to Oku-Yugawara and then town. Ikemine Momiji-no-sato, the best-known spot, peaks from mid-November to early December.
- Where's the best place to see autumn leaves?
Ikemine Momiji-no-sato, a hillside of about 540 Japanese maples above Oku-Yugawara. The road through Oku-Yugawara's ryokan quarter turns red too, and so do the trees in Man'yō Park.
- Is the walk to Ikemine hard?
No. The Ikemine course is 4.3 km and takes about 80 minutes, and the town rates it for beginners. The steady part is the 40-minute climb from the bus stop to the maples.
- Where can I bathe afterwards?
The Ikemine course ends in Man'yō Park, next to Kogome no Yu, the town's day bath. Soyu Terrace is in the park itself.
Bathe and stay nearby
Day baths
- Okuyugawara YuiRyokan · Oku-Yugawara
- HakuunsouRyokan · Onsen district
- Genzan UenoyaRyokan · Onsen district
Places to stay
- SansuirouRyokan · Oku-Yugawara
- TsubakiRyokan · Oku-Yugawara
- Yugawara Onsen Kamiya CampsiteCamping and glamping · Hills and trails