The tail-end of autumn heralds a sudden burst of lush reds and striking yellows, as the trees bloom for one final time before releasing their leaves to the coming winter. Autumn, with its pleasant warm days and spectacular foliage, is undoubtedly one of the best times to visit Japan, with cities such as Kyoto becoming perilously crowded as tourists clamour to capture the ephemeral beauty of the famous ginko and maple trees. Japan’s autumn foliage has inspired countless generations of the country’s thinkers, spiritual leaders, artists and writers, with the season taking on the air of a slightly frenzied etheriality as the leaves rapidly turn and fall. It may seem as if the season passes by all too quickly, ever beyond our reach, but Yosano, very much away from it all, is an excellent place to experience the season up close and more gently. As an antidote to the stupefying grandeur of Kyoto’s temples, a slow walk amongst Yosano’s fading trees distills the senses and concentrates the spirits; an anti-blossom for the introspective soul.