Nara
Culture

Dec 31, 2015 - 1 min read

Dorogawa Onsen Ryusenji Temple

Autumn at a Nara Mountain Gem

Community writer

The stone lanterns and fiery leaves form a beautiful gateway over one of the entrance bridges

The maple tree that made me stop my scooter for a photo and launched my adventure at Ryusenji Temple

The same maple tree from an angle conducive to reflections

Golden ginko leaves on the steps of Shinsei-Den Hall

The wall and road outside Ryusenji Temple

Ryusenji Temple's kanji characters (Dragon Spring Temple) written in artistic pictoral script

A bridge and its reflection in the the steam from the Tatsu no Kuchi Spring

Maple leaves on the slopes above one of the buildings

The entrance bridge in the first photo from another angle

Looking toward the temple gate from the opposite side of the same bridge

Fiery maple leaves and the river across the street from Ryusenji

Stone and wooden monuments reflected in the large pond

Ginko and maple leaves outside Shinsei-Den Hall

Shinsei-Den Hall from the front

A maple glows magma-like in the afternoon light

The same maple in landscape

Stone monuments and fiery leaves across the street from Ryusenji

The confluence of the Tatsu no Kuchi's stream and another stream from the mountains

The Tatsu no Kuchi (Dragon's Mouth) Spring. Water dippers are placed by the spring for visitors to drink with. The water is super clear and clean

When a maple tree in full autumnal fire next to a pond brought me and my rented to scooter screeching to a halt for a photo I didn't realize just how big and fulfilling the adventure was going to be. The maple tree and its pond were on the edge of the grounds of Ryusenji Temple in Dorogawa Onsen in the Mountains of Nara. Walking around the pond to get a reflection shot led to the discovery of more and more of Ryusenji and of the gorgeous colors igniting its grounds with unburning autumnal fire. The temple's monks and grounds keepers were happy and eager to inform guests about the temple's history and folklore and suggest places one should go to get the best shots possible.

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Bryan Baier

By Bryan Baier

Community writer

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