Long, Winding Autumnal Road in Tochigi Pref. Offers Visitors a Look at Changing Leaves with Distinct Color Palettes

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:54 JST, November 4, 2025

Motorists wanting a look at colorful leaves inch along in a traffic jam on the winding Irohazaka mountain road that connects the center of Nikko with Okunikko and Lake Chuzenji in Tochigi Prefecture. Various kinds of trees including maples and rowan hit their autumn foliage peak 10 days later than previous years, with the recent cold snap causing them to suddenly change to vibrant reds and yellows, according to the Nikko Natural Science Museum. Visitors can enjoy distinct color palettes across the road’s 440-meter elevation difference, with this year’s colors said to be particularly vivid.