Japanese love the moon
By Yukari Yamano
For many years, Japanese have admired the moon. During the Heian Period (794 - 1185), moon viewing events were hosted among the aristocracy. The Heian aristocracy, floating on a boat on a pond in their garden and drinking sake, appreciated the moon not only in the sky but also on the surface of the pond and the surface of their drinking cups.
Among Ogura Anthology of One hundred Waka poems from the Heian Period, eleven of them were about the moon. Here is the famous autumn poem written by Fujiwara no Akisuke (No. 79th).
See, how clear and bright
Is the moon-light finding ways
'Mong the riven clouds
That, with drifting autumn-wind,
Gracefully float o'er the sky!
Translated by Clay MacCauley
Fujiwara no Akisuke expressed the beauty of the moon light simply and honestly in his Waka poem.
The tale of the Bamboo cutter (竹取物語 Taketori Monogatari) was written in the Heian Period as well. The story narrates the life of Kaguya-hime, a princess from the moon who was discovered as a baby inside a stalk of glowing bamboo. She grew beautifully and attracted five suitors and later the emperor of Japan. At the end of the story, she reveals her origin and returns to the moon on the full moon night.
Taketori Monogatari Emaki Image from National Diet Library Digital Collection
In Japanese, this full moon which appears in the middle of autumn is called the full moon of the fifteenth night (十五夜の月 Jyugoya no Tsuki) or the full moon of the middle of autumn (中秋の名月 Chyusyu no Meigetsu). In the old Lunar calendar, autumn was from July through September and the middle of autumn was August. There is about a month to two months gap between the old calendar and the new calendar. Therefore, on the new calendar, the full moon of the middle of autumn comes slightly later. This year, it will be September 21st (Japan) that we will be able to see the full moon of the middle of autumn.
Issa Kobayashi, famous Haiku Poet in Edo Period (1603 -- 1867) also wrote many Haiku poems about the moon. This is one of them.
the harvest moon
hangs over it...
rice cake gift
Translated by David G. Lanoue
The general public started having moon viewing events from the Edo period (1603 - 1867). By then, the event added the meaning of harvest celebration and this full moon of the middle of autumn has started being translated as the harvest moon.
Traditionally, Japanese decorate Japanese pampas grass (ススキ Susuki), moon-viewing dumplings (月見団子 Tsukimi dango), and harvested foods such as Japanese taro (里芋 Satoimo), chestnut (栗 Kuri), and green soybeans (枝豆 Edamame) on the night of the harvest moon. They admire the beautiful autumn moon and eat tasty moon-viewing dumplings.
Just before our rainy season starts, I would hope that Seattleites look up at the night sky and enjoy our beautiful moon.
Moon viewing decoration and tea practitioners from Omotesenke at Shoseian in Seattle Japanese Garden