In autumn, the leaves on most deciduous Japanese trees change their color to red, yellow or orange. The mountains, which I love to look at during this time of the year, are transformed by the beautiful colors of the leaves. The leaves are called, "kouyou" or "momiji". The Japanese admire "kouyou" just as they admire cherry blossoms in spring. Their beauty has been expressed in poems and songs throughout Japanese history. The Japanese also enjoy, "momiji-gari (autumn leaf viewing)", which is regarded as a seasonal event as important as, "hanami (cherry blossom viewing)". When I was in Japan, I took "kouyou" for granted, but I now realize that not every country is able to enjoy beautiful autumn leaves, as some places don't have many deciduous trees.