Autumn: Maple Leaves Changing Colours

色付くや

豆腐に落ちて

薄紅葉

Irozukuya – Changed the red colour
Tôfu ni ochite – Fallen on the tofu
Usu-Momiji – The leaf of the light crimson maple

Matsuo Bashō

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), 27th Station: Fukuroi, from the series: The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō, 1833–1844.

If Japanese spring means flower blossoms, then the autumn is represented by red and yellow leaves. Kōyō 紅葉, which literally translates to ‘red leaves’, refers to maple trees and their leaves turning red. Contemplating natural panorama changing their colours is something really appreciated in Japan during the autumn, but they are usually not enjoyed with a picnic due to the season getting colder. Most often people appreciate them by simply having walks or as a scenery for their green tea degustation.

©Lucas Calloch

Another Japanese habit in autumn is to gather with family or friends to enjoy the moon, which provides a good occasion to get tipsy. Special sweets are eaten on this occasion, tsukimi dango 月見団子, are literally called ‘moon-watching dango’ and are white rice balls that look like tiny moons. Also, did you know that in Japanese folklore, as well as in many other asian cultures, the Moon is inhabited by rabbits? If you look closely at the Moon, its craters are said to resemble an upside-down rabbit and this is likely the origin of this thought.

A visualisation of the Moon’s craters as a forming a rabbit. ©Zeimusu

Autumn is also the period of harvest and this influences culinary habits. Dishes made in autumn will likely use freshly seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin and radishes as well as mushrooms. Warm soups start once again to be consumed as winter gets closer. Grilled sweet potatoes are definitely something to look for as sometimes street vendors might sell them freshly roasted out of the charcoal. If you stumble upon such a stall we highly recommend you to give it a try.
The only downside to Japanese autumn is that it’s usually when the typhoon season is at its peak, which can be quite dangerous, as we already mentioned in a previous article.

Written by Marty Borsotti