To avoid the crowds, I deliberately visited the Shikoku Pilgrimage’s 88th temple, Okoji Temple, last week to see the autumn leaves. In past years, the big ginkgo in the temple would already have shed all its leaves by mid-November, leaving only an empty courtyard and a quiet atmosphere. This year, however, a warm winter kept the golden ginkgo leaves clinging to the branches, and even half of the green maple leaves quietly turned fiery red, as if draping the solemn, peaceful temple in a warm hue. A gentle breeze sent the fallen leaves dancing, and the air filled with the crisp, tranquil scent of autumn, making me slow my pace and savor the calm and vitality of the moment.