In search of autumn hues in Ehime, I trekked through the mountains for a day

It was autumn's welcome,
That brought us to Ehime,
To walk alongside the colors,

In the great mountains,
We found a secret haven,
A path where locals go to pray,
Climbing among ancient trees and old trails,
A memory of nature's long years,

Sunlight sifts through the leaves,
Casting down on the leaf-strewn mountain path,
The world is dyed in a gradient by the red leaves,
As if colored in a manga,
Filled with fantasy.

Maple leaves and ginkgo are the protagonists of autumn,
A red and yellow pair within the temple grounds.
A Shiba Inu treads over the carpet of red leaves,
Making a rustling sound with its steps,
Perhaps this is the voice of nature itself～
📍Saizenji Temple in the western mountains of Ehime

This is a very niche spot we discovered this time, very close to Imabari where we disembarked. It happened to be deep autumn, and the colors in the mountains were enriched, so we decided to come here to experience it.
The Saizenji Temple in the western mountains is deep in the mountains, and it takes 20-30 minutes to drive there from the city, making it a very secluded and niche place. Only upon arrival did we realize how truly beautiful it is, like a fairyland.

🌟Highlights:
1⃣️Self-service vegetable hut
At the entrance to the mountains, there's a local's hut with lots of vegetables and fruits, all clearly priced, likely homegrown, so very affordable, like 200 yen for a big bag of persimmons. Hikers usually take some on their way down, just leave the money in the box, very Japanese~
2⃣️Monks
If one wishes to experience the meaning of ascetic practice, you can rent clothes here, so it's common to capture 'monks' climbing the mountain for training. However, it's impolite to take photos directly. This is a beautiful scene at Saizenji Temple.
3⃣️Mountain trails
The secret paths through the ancient forest wind upwards, offering many scenic spots for photography along the way.
4⃣️Temples on the mountain
Upon reaching the temple, there's still a climb, flanked by red leaves, making it a particularly photogenic spot, as if it's a path of devotion.
5⃣️Surroundings of the temple
The temple is enveloped by red leaves and ginkgo, find the right angle and you can capture the feeling of a world bathed in red, along with the Japanese-style architecture, very charming~