Late summer in Nara Park

Kasugano-enchi Park, Sansha Pond, Mt. Wakakusa and Mt. Kasuga

As is said in Japanese saying, “Neither heat nor cold lasts beyond the equinox.”, September of Japan is still summer with gradual cooling. This year, however, our usual hottest and sunniest summer ended as a wet season with lower temperature and since late August I’ve sometimes felt autumn-like air.  When I walked in Nara Park from late afternoon to night on 8th of September, cool and crisp air was comfortable under the high blue sky with autumn clouds.  

Japanese crape myrtle bloom over a long period from mid-summer to early-autumn.  Since this year’s summer heat was not so intense, the flowers were still fresh and brilliant.

Leaves and grasses were still summer green.

Japanese maple leaves with Japanese crape myrtle flowers in the back

Green leaves and moss on wooden trellis

Green colors on the crumbling earthen walls with age

At Ara-ike Park, the colors of some foliage were turning yellowish and some were tinted with gold in the evening sun.

At Sagi-ike Pond, ducks were swimming in the vermilion-gold water, the reflection of the Ukimi-do Pavilion aglow in the evening sun.

8th of September was the harvest moon night (Chushu-no-meigetsu in Japanese), the fifteenth night of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Still more, the moon of the next day 9th was Super Moon, 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter, as it came closer than usual to the Earth. 

A hazy moon thinly veiled by the rosy sunset clouds

The moon is appearing from the clouds.

 The extraordinary big and bright moon rose high above and shone over the world.

Ukimi-do Pavilion at Sagi-ike Pond

On the way to the train station,  two dragon-headed boats were going around Sarusawa-ike Pond as a part of Uneme-matsuri Full-moon Festival .

This post is linked to Friday My Town Shoot Out
Thank you, Mersad, for hosting.