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『Tsukimi』

Tsukimi, or moon viewing, is a longstanding tradition that began among the royal court elites who would gather beneath the full moon to write poems and drink sake.

Since then the celebration evolved into an event where the common people would pray for good harvest.

Unfortunately, the tradition is now rarely celebrated among the younger generation, and only a small percentage of those in rural parts of Japan continue this tradition of offering tsukimi dango (rice dumplings), susuki (pampas grass), seasonal fruit, and sake to the moon in mid-September.

In general, what is left of the tradition is the custom of eating tsukimi dango, taro, chestnuts, pears, and persimmons during this season but in actuality this custom is more associated with the autumn season itself than the tsukimi tradition.

The word tsukimi has also come to be used more when referring to foods with egg yolk resembling the moon in soba (buckwheat noodles), udon (thick wheat noodles), or a hamburger with fried egg fillings rather than moon viewing.