In autumn, the air turns crisp and cool, and both town and countryside gradually don a mantle of color. The season opens modestly with the dainty blooms of the “seven flowers of autumn,” then shifts, day by day, to ever deeper and more vivid hues. At the season’s peak, golden waves of rice sway in the fields and swathes of vibrant foliage weave a tapestry across the landscape. Savor these colors and the bounties of the harvest as we explore expressions of autumn in Japanese life.