[2025 Chino Attraction] Travel Guide for Choenji (Updated Mar)

Photo taken on November 9, 2024 Location: Choenji Temple, Nagano, Japan Transportation: JR Chino Station, then a 15-minute taxi ride for JPY 2,800 There is a song called "Why Are the Flowers So Red?" Today, I want to sing, "Why Are the Leaves So Red?" Choenji Temple (清龍山 長圓寺) is located in Chino, Nagano. It is a 15-minute taxi ride from Chino Station, costing JPY 1,300. There are no buses. On the way back, the driver was unwilling to pick us up, so we had to call a taxi ourselves. It was very inconvenient, so we walked 5.3 km back to the JR station. Such a remote location, costing time, money, and energy. A small temple that takes 5 minutes to walk around, really, 5 minutes. But I had to come here. Because, during the maple season, the maple leaves here turn blood red. I have seen blood-red maple leaves in Kyoto and Nara, but not many. Here, several maple trees blend with towering cedar trees, and there is a ginkgo tree over 20 meters tall in the temple. This year, the maple leaves were late. Yesterday, the temple's website said that the leaves would turn blood red in the next few days. I knew we were a day early because, based on last year's daily photos, the leaves were only 70% red today. Sure enough, more than half of the maple leaves were still red-black, but two trees were completely red. This amazed my companions. I spent an hour taking photos of a tree, just me, never getting enough. I didn't capture the most classic scene, but I was still moved by what I saw.

The autumn leaves in Nagano Prefecture start to change color in late October. Among the autumn leaves in Nagano, there is one temple that stands out with its bright red color. That is "#Chouenji" in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture. The intense red autumn leaves are so striking that you will never forget them once you see them. They grow to about chest height, and the approach to the temple is truly a spectacular sight. If you go further in, there are large ginkgo and maple trees, and the collaboration is also a beautiful spot! I went there last year in 2023, but unfortunately, they had passed the red and looked a little brown and withered... It seems that there was little rain, so they started to wither before they could turn beautiful colors. I went there at sunrise so that the leaves would turn even redder in the morning sun... It seems that there were many places like that nationwide last year. I hope that those who go this year will be able to see beautiful autumn leaves! This spot is home to the Venus Line, a scenic driving course, the mirror-like reflection of Mishaka Pond, hot springs, and more, so why not stop by to see the surrounding sightseeing spots! That's it! How about it? Please come and visit this place to see the autumn leaves in October🚗💨 ~~~~~~Information~~~~~~ 📍Choenji Temple Address: 11373 Tamagawa Anayama, Chino City, Nagano Prefecture Access: 15 minutes from Suwa IC Opening hours: 24 hours Admission fee: Free ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #Domestic travel diary #Domestic travel

Choenji Temple is located in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture. The approach to the temple is lined with trees that are said to be 300 years old, making for a spectacular sight. In autumn, the sky is covered with fiery red leaves, creating an autumn tunnel that makes our hearts dance. At the place where the Jizo statues are lined up, we were lucky enough to see a gradation of red, green, and yellow. It has a small but solemn atmosphere, and the moment you see this view, your heart will be captured. Best time to see autumn leaves: early November 📍Location: 11373 Tamagawa Anayama, Chino City, Nagano Prefecture #0 yen travel autumn