One last fall visit to the Garden. It was a brisk morning just before the rain hit, and amidst the fading colors and bare branches I contemplated features less bound to the changing seasons, before finally catching the current art installation of architectural sculptures by Takahiro Iwasaki just before it ended. There were more volunteers than visitors, a very different scene than the fall color crowds, with the horticultural crews racing the rain to gather fallen leaves, and docents strolling alone in silence. After my time in the Garden I treated myself to tea and a snack at the cafe, extending the calm of the morning and enjoying a seasonal tea whose leaves were dried in whiskey barrel smoke — not a traditional approach in Japan, but an enjoyable complement to the late fall day.