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In the still, icy air, photographers wait patiently in darkness for the perfect shot. As the autumn sun rises behind the mountain’s silhouette, it lights up the trees around the pond, making them glow red. The pond’s surface, reflecting the vivid mountain slope, appears as if set ablaze for a brief moment.
A Fiery Morning
Tsutanuma Pond in Towada City, Aomori Prefecture, is about an hour and a half by car from Shin-Aomori Station. This scenic spot is located approximately 15 kilometers north of Lake Towada. There are seven ponds, with Tsutanuma being the largest, encircling roughly one kilometer.
The early-morning views during peak autumn foliage draw many photography enthusiasts. Yet the fiery display is fleeting — as the sun rises higher, the mountains soften to the gentler reds and yellows of late autumn.
Beyond Sunrise
The area offers much to enjoy beyond early mornings. Well-maintained trails and a 1.5-hour hike around Tsutanuma provide views of a pristine forest filled with beech, maple, and Japanese maple trees, as well as various bird species.
An Oirase tourism concierge noted, “Each of the ponds is unique. In spring, the fresh green of beech leaves, and in winter, the silent, snow-covered ponds — each season brings a new expression.”
A visitor from Aomori City, camera in hand, shared, “I waited from 3 AM for sunrise and captured a great photo. The vivid red on the mountain peak was striking. Next, I’d like to capture a snowy scene.”
(All photos featured in this article were taken in the fall of 2014.)
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Kengo Matsumoto, The Sankei Shimbun