A few days after the end of Golden Week, it rained in Niseko, seemingly washing away the white birch pollen with the blessed rain. Then, as the clouds cleared, Mt. Yotei finally revealed itself.
As Hokkaido and Niseko prepare for the dazzling greenery to come, looking across the mountains, one might be deceived into thinking they are seeing the autumn foliage. The leaves on the trees have turned brown and yellow, creating an illusion of autumn scenery before summer! This phenomenon, known as "spring foliage," is a seasonal landscape unique to this time of year.
For those unfamiliar with spring foliage, it might seem puzzling to see leaves changing color when it's not autumn. The mechanism behind foliage color change involves chlorophyll reduction, which reveals other colors in the leaves.
In autumn, the chlorophyll decreases rapidly due to the sudden drop in temperature before the leaves fall. In contrast, spring foliage occurs when new buds show other colors before accumulating chlorophyll.
This spring foliage can be observed across Hokkaido and is a characteristic of broad-leaved trees.
For instance, the young leaves of the Itaya maple and Japanese white birch turn yellow-green, the Katsura tree leaves turn brown, and the Japanese maple leaves turn a wine-red. This coloration is due to anthocyanins protecting the new leaves from ultraviolet rays.
Both in spring and autumn, foliage color changes, but the colors of spring foliage are gentler, with yellows and browns being predominant, unlike the vivid hues of autumn.
This fleeting northern spring landscape can be seen for a brief period of 1-2 weeks until the leaves accumulate chlorophyll. Along with the cherry blossoms, the spring foliage quickly comes to an end.
However, being able to feel so closely the power of nature and the changing seasons is something unique to Niseko.
(Nashi)
