Japan Photo Journal: Grand golden gingko

A roughly 1,000-year-old gingko tree is lit up in the town of Fukaura, Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan, while two people hug its trunk in this recent photo. The tree, called "the great gingko tree of Kitakanegasawa," is about 31 meters tall and has a girth of around 22 meters, making it the largest in Japan. The national government has designated it a natural monument. Visitors took photos under it and admired its shimmering golden leaves. A representative of Fukaura Municipal Government's tourism division encouraged people to come and see the "big yellow," whose leaves reached their peak on Nov. 21, and are expected to offer glittering views until Dec. 1, when the illuminations will end.

(Japanese original by Kaho Kitayama, Photo Group)