Text by: Alex
"It doesn't look like a real landscape!" Normally, in late autumn, when green leaves turn red or yellow, the scenery is already breathtaking. But the autumn night photos taken by photographer @nic_mura_5 at Moomin Valley in Saitama Prefecture feature beautiful red leaves (actually metasequoia trees) along with fairy-tale-like buildings all lit up, bathed in orange-red hues both inside and out—making it feel like stepping into a fairy tale. No wonder netizens are wondering: "Is this an illustration from a picture book?" In fact, not just netizens—even the photographer himself said, "It feels like being abroad, but it's actually in Saitama!"
A Saitama scenery that doesn’t seem like Japan.
— muraccho (@nic_mura_5) November 24, 2020
The autumn night arrived at Moomin Valley and was more stunning than imagined!! pic.twitter.com/WNuRRVpWTL
▲"It doesn't seem like Japan—stunning scenery in Saitama. The autumn night at Moomin Valley was beyond imagination!"
▲(photo by nic_mura_5 @Twitter)
▲(photo by nic_mura_5 @Twitter)
▲(photo by nic_mura_5 @Twitter)
Japan’s Moomin Valley is located within the “Tove Jansson Akaboshi Kodomo no Mori Park” (commonly known as the Children’s Forest Park) in Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture, about a one-hour drive from Ikebukuro, Tokyo. It is the only official Moomin-themed park outside Finland, authorized by the original author Tove Jansson, and admission is free. Though the park is not very large, it has thoughtfully recreated many buildings and details from Moomin Valley, giving visitors the feeling of being right inside the storybook world.
Looks like overseas, but it's actually in Saitama. pic.twitter.com/fCr6u3yqiX
— Takuya? (@taku05187) October 4, 2020
▲"It looks like it's abroad, but it's actually in Saitama Prefecture."
▲(photo by taku05187 @Twitter)
▲(photo by taku05187 @Twitter)
▲(photo by taku05187 @Twitter)
As December approaches, the leaves will soon all fall. Even during the daytime in this period, Moomin Valley remains incredibly beautiful. Some say that after one or two snowfalls in winter, the snowy white scenery makes Moomin Valley even more like Finland (the home of the Moomins), transforming it into a completely different sight.
▲(photo by tn_nextstage @IG)
▲(photo by ryography_713 @IG)
▲(photo by ichiryu @IG)
▲(photo by phototo__ @Twitter)
▲(photo by phototo__ @Twitter)
▲(photo by m_yama_yama @IG)
▲(photo by maika_5884 @IG)
▲(photo by satsukamouuu @IG)
Source: Fundo.jp