Autumn

Autumn is an active season in Tokyo.
All the hotness and humidity gone, people get much more active than they were in summer.  There are Japanese proverbs showing how exciting a season autumn is:
スポーツの秋 (”Autumn, a season for sports”)
読書の秋 (”Autumn, a season for reading”)
食欲の秋 (”Autumn, a season for strong appetite”)

Definitely, it is better to read or play sports in the cool, comfortable season, than in the hot summer.
Also, autumn is the season of harvest.  There are various delicacies of the season, such as sweet chestnuts (栗), brevoorts (秋刀魚)、and Matsutake mushrooms(松茸).  Rice is also harvested in autumn, and is most delicious in this season.

Brevoorts.
The Kanjis “秋刀魚”, literally mean ‘autumn’, ’sword’, ‘fish’.  It is written like this because brevoorts are fish which are in season in autumn, and look like swords.

Autumn is also a season of art.  It is said “芸術の秋 (geijutsu no aki)” in Japanese.  Many art events take place in this season.
Tokyo Designers Week, an event of design, is one of them.

Work from Tokyo Designers Week 2009

Many works by top designers, shops, and art students would be exhibited.  Marking its 25th anniversary, this year’s theme is ‘Environment’.
Of course Japan is a treasure trove of unique tradition, but don’t forget that new designs and technologies are always being created too!

・Location: Meiji Jingu Gaien
・Period: Oct. 29 - Nov. 3
・Website: http://www.tdwa.com/

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

Have you ever heard of ‘Tsukimi (月見)’?
As the word literally mean ’see (見) the moon (月)’, it is a traditional event when we admire the full moon in autumn.

Tsukimi takes place on August 15th in the old calendar.  The day differs from year to year, because the old calendar is lunisolar, and is different from the solar calendar that is used today.  This year, tsukimi is on September 22nd.  The moon at this night is called ‘Chushu no meigetsu (中秋の名月, harvest moon)’.
There are several stories regarding the origin of Tsukimi, but one powerful theory is that this event came from China around the Nara period or Heian period.  It is said that this event was a harvest festival of aroid in China.

The white spheres are Tsukimi Dango (月見団子, Tsukimi Dumplings).  We offer the dumplings and Japanese pampas to the moon.

If you would like to enjoy Tsukimi, there are several events where you can see the moon beautifully.

On September 22, Tokyo Tower will be opening the external stair cases, which are usually opened only on Saterdays and Sundays.

At Roppongi Hills, you can see the moon at the Sky Deck and Tokyo City View.  The moonrise, which is not so easy to see in Tokyo, can be seen from the  270 meters high deck.

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/