お月見（OTSUKIMI)

お月見（OTSUKIMI）Moon viewing

月（TSUKI）=moon 見る（MIRU）＝to watch

Here in Japan, we have a seasonal event called お月見（OTSUKIMI）to enjoy viewing the full moon of the night in September which was the night of August 15th on the lunar calendar before. (We stop using the lunar calendar in later 1800’s)

Since August 15th of the lunar calendar is the right in the middle of autumn, it is also called ‘Chuushuu.　＊中（CHUU）=middle, 秋（SHUU）=autumn

And the full moon around this period is said to be the most beautiful moon of a year.

The beautiful moon can be called 名月（MEIGETSU）so the moon for OTSUKIMI also called 中秋の名月（CHUUSHUU NO MEIGETSU）＝beautiful moon of mid autumn.

In Japan, it is said that there is a rabbit on the moon.

This is because the shape of the lunar crater looks like a rabbit pounding mochi (rice cake) with a mallet.

Originally, the custom of Otsukimi came from China during the Heian period in 800’s.

During the Heian period, Japanese aristocrats held a graceful feast of drinking alcohol while enjoying poetry and traditional Japanese music under the full moon, on August 15th by the lunar calendar.

Later, the custom was spread among common people in Edo period.

It became an autumn thanksgiving event among common people in the Edo period from 1600’s to 1800’s because it is the harvest season in Japan.

People offer rice dumplings (Otsukimi-Dango) and crops and decorate Japanese pampas grass to the moon and pray for a good harvest.

Otsukimi-Dango has a round shape because it represents the full moon.

We make a lot of small round dumplings and pile up 15dumplings in a pyramid shape.

It is believed eating Otsukimi-Dango will provide health and happiness.

Japanese Pampas grass is offered as a way of inviting Gods and keeping out evils. 　

If you are familiar with Japanese food, you may know UDON noodle.

There is a kind of UDON called TSUKIMI UDON all year round.

Tsukimi udon has cracked raw egg on top and the egg yolk is likened to the full moon, and the egg white is likened to clouds over the moon.

Also McDonald's has the Tsukimi Burger during this season.

A round fried egg is sandwiched so the egg is likened to the moon.

There is also TSUKIMI pie which has redbean paste and white MOCHI inside the pie.