標高３７０ｍの戸倉上山田温泉の中心になるカラコロ足湯の公園の写真です。木の葉っぱはちょっとずつ色が付いてきています。信州のもっと高い高原に紅葉がもっと進んでいます。上高地や志賀高原、戸隠の知り合いと話したら、今年の紅葉は通常より１週間～１０日間ぐらい早いそうです。その分で長く続きそうだそうです。色はちょっと落ち着いているようですけど、最近の晴れている天気にきっと綺麗だと思います。志賀高原の横手山や、上高地の周辺のアルプスは既に初雪になっています。青い空に雪をかぶっている山に紅葉・・・信州の見事の時期だ!
注：戸隠の代表の紅葉スポット、鏡池の道は土崩れで工事中です。週末は中社で駐車（？）して、シャトルバスを乗る制度になっているそうです。１０月いっぱいまで紅葉を楽しめると聞いています。
This is a picture of the park next to Togura Kamiyamada Onsen's "Kara-Koro" foot bath. As you can see, the leaves are starting to change color. Our elevation here is only 370 meters above sea level. Nagano's higher elevations are seeing much better fall colors now. I've talked to friends in Kamikochi, Togakushi and Shiga Kogen (some of Nagano's best areas for fall foliage) and this year, the autumn leaves are starting about a week to ten days earlier than normal. Hopefully they'll stay around for longer, too. And although the colors don't seem to be as crisp as some years, the beautiful weather we've been enjoying lately make up for it. Especially as Shiga Kogen's Mt. Yokote and the Alps around Kamikochi have received their first snow fall already. Blue sky, snow-capped peaks and fall foliage -- this is one of Nagano's best seasons!
