Korankei Autumn Leaves in Toyota (Aichi): When They Peak, the 2026 Light-Up and the Bus from Nagoya Station
Korankei is a river valley in the old town of Asuke, in the hills of Toyota (Aichi), and one of the best-known places for autumn leaves in central Japan. In November the maples on Mt. Iimori turn red and yellow above the Tomoe River, and every evening the hillside is lit up. This guide sets out when the leaves usually peak, the dates and hours of the 2026 Momiji Festival (momiji means maple leaves) from the official pages, how to get there from Nagoya Station by train and bus, and what to know about crowds, parking and manners.
A day trip to a valley you have never seen can feel like a lot to plan, especially when the last bus matters. Knowing the route and the timing before you go makes the day much easier.
This page may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
- The leaves usually peak from mid to late November.
- The 2026 festival and light-up run from November 1 to 30, from sunset to 21:00, with no extension.
- From Nagoya Station, take a train and then a local bus to the Korankei stop.
- November weekends bring long traffic jams; a weekday is easier.
When the leaves usually peak
Aichi Now, the prefecture's official tourism site, and the Japan Weather Association's tenki.jp both give the usual peak at Korankei as mid to late November. On October 16, 2026, tenki.jp forecast the peak to start from November 16, and reported that the leaves were still green. Forecasts change with the weather, so check the latest leaf report a few days before you go.
The Asuke Tourism Association says about 3,000 maples of 11 kinds grow at Korankei. According to the association, the first ones were planted in 1634 by Sanei, a monk of Kojakuji Temple, who planted a maple or cedar along the approach to the temple each time he recited a sutra. More maples were planted on Mt. Iimori by local volunteers from the mid-1920s into the early 1930s.
The 2026 Momiji Festival and the evening light-up
The 71st Korankei Momiji Festival runs from November 1 to 30, 2026. The park is open at all hours and entry is free; parking and Sanshu Asuke Yashiki (see below) cost extra. Every evening of the festival, Mt. Iimori is lit from sunset to 21:00. The association says the period and the hours will not be extended, so plan to be there before 21:00.
| Event (2026) | When |
|---|---|
| Light-up of Mt. Iimori | November 1 to 30, sunset to 21:00 |
| Opening ceremony with Sanshu Asuke taiko drums, at Korankei Plaza | November 1, 16:00 to 17:00 |
| Bamboo lanterns (about 1,000) along the approach to Kojakuji Temple | Saturdays and Sundays, November 1 to 29, 18:00 to 20:30 |
| Wish candles in glass (about 800) on the riverbank, 500 yen each | Saturdays and Sundays, November 7 to 29, 18:00 to 20:30 |
| Chindon parades through the Asuke streets | November 8, 23 and 28, about 10:00 to 15:00 |
The bamboo lanterns and the wish candles are not held on the national holidays of November 3 (Culture Day) and November 23 (Labor Thanksgiving Day), and all outdoor events are canceled in rain. Chindon are small street bands in colorful old-style costumes that once advertised shops; the parades keep walking without stopping, to avoid crowding. There is also a monkey show at the plaza on most days from 9:00.
The Taigetsu Bridge and the riverside
The red Taigetsu Bridge (Taigetsukyo) crosses the Tomoe River at the heart of the valley and is the classic photo spot. The festival page describes the light-up as making the red of the bridge and the lights reflected in the river look magical. Expect the bridge and the riverside paths to be crowded at the peak, especially on weekends and in the evening. Take your photo, then move on so others can cross.
Sanshu Asuke Yashiki
Sanshu Asuke Yashiki, next to Korankei Plaza, is a small living museum that recreates the life of a mountain farming household. According to Aichi Now, craftspeople work there at weaving, indigo dyeing, straw work and blacksmithing, and the restaurant Hinoki Chaya serves gohei-mochi (grilled rice cakes with a sweet sauce) and grilled ayu (sweetfish). It is open from 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30), and admission is 300 yen for adults and 100 yen for school students. It usually closes on Thursdays, but it is open every day in November.
Getting there from Nagoya Station by train and bus
Korankei has no train station. All public routes end with a local bus to the Korankei stop. The Asuke Tourism Association lists three:
- A and B: from Nagoya Station, take the subway Higashiyama Line to Fushimi, then a Tsurumai Line train that runs through onto the Meitetsu Toyota Line, to Josui or Toyotashi. If your train ends at Akaike, change there.
- C: take the Meitetsu Main Line from Meitetsu Nagoya Station to Higashi-Okazaki.
Check the last bus before you go. The association warns that on weekdays there are no buses back to Higashi-Okazaki after 19:00, which is before the light-up ends. It also says the November bus timetables differ from the usual ones and were still being prepared when we checked. If you want to stay for the light-up, check the return times on the day and pick a route that still has a bus. If you miss it, Hinode Taxi (0565-62-0064, from abroad +81-565-62-0064) has a taxi stand behind the Korankei bus stop.
For paying fares and using IC cards on buses around Nagoya (Aichi), see our guide to subways, buses and IC cards in Nagoya (Aichi). In 2026 there is no direct festival bus from Yakusa Station, which ran in some past years.
Driving? Expect long jams and paid parking
The roads into Asuke are narrow, and the association warns that on November weekends and holidays the trip can take more than 2 hours because of traffic. It recommends visiting on a weekday. Aichi Now lists about 670 paid parking spaces; in November, parking costs 1,000 yen per car per visit, and spaces can't be reserved. The Korankei parking page shows how full the lots are.
If you rent a car, note that since April 2025 the Tokai-Kanjo Expressway can only be entered and left with an ETC card (an electronic toll card) in the car. Without one, the association suggests using Toyota IC on the Tomei Expressway. From November 14 to 30, between 9:00 and 17:00, tour buses must follow set routes.
Food at the festival
The festival's food map for Korankei Plaza was still being prepared when we checked, so the stall list for 2026 isn't confirmed. The festival page does list a stall selling daoxiaomian (Chinese knife-cut noodles) open from 11:00, with last orders at 20:45, from November 1 to 30. Craftspeople from around Japan sell their work in the square in front of Sanshu Asuke Yashiki, roughly from 9:30 to 18:00, and until 20:00 at the peak. For a sit-down meal, Hinoki Chaya inside Sanshu Asuke Yashiki is an option during its opening hours. The association asks visitors to follow each shop's guidance on queues.
Manners: rubbish, paths and the hillside at night
- Rubbish: during the festival, bins are only at Korankei Plaza and the parking lots. Please keep your rubbish with you until you reach one, and don't leave it anywhere else.
- Mt. Iimori at night: for safety, the three routes to the summit are closed at night, with signs at each entrance. You can go up as far as the grounds of Kojakuji Temple. The association says no bears have been seen at Korankei, but wild boar and deer live in the hills and are more likely to appear from sunset to early morning.
- The riverbank: entry to the riverbed may be limited on wish-candle evenings. Follow the staff and the signs.
- The trees: the maples are what everyone came to see. Please leave the branches and leaves on the trees, stay on the paths, and don't climb on the stone walls for a photo.
Plan your autumn trip
If you are also thinking about Kyoto or Tokyo, our guide to autumn leaves in Japan covers forecasts, night tickets and photo rules at well-known temples and gardens. For more ideas around the city, see our Nagoya (Aichi) destination page.
Last reviewed: October 16, 2026. Festival events, bus times and parking rules can change, and the food map and the November bus timetables were not yet published. Please check the official pages again before you go.
Official sources (checked October 2026)
- Asuke Tourism Association: the 71st Korankei Momiji Festival, 2026 (Japanese)
- Asuke Tourism Association: access by train, bus and car (Japanese)
- Asuke Tourism Association: Korankei and its maples (Japanese)
- Aichi Now (Aichi Prefecture): Korankei Momiji Festival (Japanese)
- Aichi Now: Korankei, parking and access (Japanese)
- Aichi Now: Sanshu Asuke Yashiki (Japanese)
- tenki.jp (Japan Weather Association): Korankei leaf forecast and report (Japanese)
