AKIZUKI, Fukuoka Pref. -- "Japan," I am frequently informed, with looks of grave importance, "has four seasons." I always wonder if I should feign amazement at this fact, or be silly and ask whether this is because Japan is an island country and all foreigners hate natto. But I can never be told enough about how to enjoy the seasons in Japan.
Wind chimes and icy colors are essential in summer. Then it's autumn, when a host of goodies are harvested one after the other: chestnuts, matsutake mushrooms and persimmons. Cultural events abound. After the typhoons are over, the weather man brings reports of visual feasts: cosmos flowers in late September; autumn foliage from late October.
Certain seasons really bring some places to life, and two towns you shouldn't miss this autumn are Akizuki and Koishiwara. Akizuki, an exquisite miniature castle town, is a profusion of red and gold foliage in autumn. Nearby, the pottery village of Koishiwara offers up its best harvests in autumn. This coming weekend, Oct. 9-11, is your chance to catch the best of them, at the Koishiwara Autumn Pottery Festival.