Mount Takagawa's Azalea

Famous for its cherry blossoms in springtime, hydrangeas in summer, and autumn colors, Japan’s colorful seasons are relatively easy to predict for most travelers.

With this fact in mind, I arrived at the foot of Mount Takagawa in eastern Yamanashi Prefecture on an early spring morning with little expectation of seeing anything colorful except perhaps some usual lush green foliage since it was well outside any of these colorful seasons.

However, when traversing the narrow ridgelines, I encountered many vibrant Azaleas providing a pleasant surprise to an already interesting hike