October: The Month of Vibrant Foliage and Autumnal Bloom
let's discover the significance of October as the "month of the Gods" in Japan, savor juicy persimmons in the sunlight, and discover spring in bamboo.🍁

In addition to modern month names, the Japanese also have ancient ones. They are very poetic.

*in modern Japanese, the kanji 無 means "without,"  but in the name of the month it means the exact opposite - it acts as an indicator of the genitive case の

but Why does the title mention gods? The explanation proves to be purely mythological: all Shinto deities gather in this month at Japan's oldest shrine, Izumo Taisha, meaning that there simply are no more of them in other lands.

For instance, October is written as 神無月 in the old way, yet it is interpreted as "kannazuki."
Three kanji are very simple

(kannazuki)

無

月

神

(kaki)

Sunny place

Natsume

A perfectly ripe persimmon is perhaps the food that thrills the Japanese palette more than any other traditional fall delicacy. 
For hundreds of years, these wonderfully sweet orange treats have played a significant role in Japanese food traditions. Persimmons are the fruit with the strongest relationship to fall in Japan. Persimmons can be found in many works of art, including paintings, songs that depict the splendor of fall, and poems written in Japanese.

Young Natsume Soseki wrote this cheerful haiku about persimmons:

Masaoka Shiki, a poet, once said of his best friend Soseki, "He has a lot of umami, but also astringency"

So, some people believe that a ripe persimmon is a pretty obvious clue of "falling from a branch," and that even the ripest fruit has a certain "viscosity."

Is it really that wonderful to feel like a ripe persimmon on a sunny day? This is something to consider.

But is this all really that easy, and are there any more layers to this?

Soseki

This is a lovely scene: the poet stands on the sun-drenched porch, comparing himself to a ripe and sweet persimmon, and the weather is perfect.

Of a ripe

For example, did you know that for Japanese bamboo, spring begins in the fall in October?

It is at this time that the leaves increase their strength and become green and luscious.

and vice versa, in mid-spring its leaves turn yellow and fall off. In Japanese poetry, this strange time is called "take no aki" (竹の秋）or "autumn of bamboo."

(take-no-aki)

Sometimes you can get completely lost in the intricacies of Japanese seasons.

(kuri)

Kuri, or Japanese chestnuts, are very special in Japanese culture. These nuts have been cultivated in Japan for centuries and are deeply ingrained in local customs and traditions.

First of all, it's said that eating chestnuts will bring luck and prosperity. In Japan, people often carry chestnuts in their pockets or display them in their homes to attract prosperity. This custom originated during the Edo era, when chestnuts were regarded as a delicacy and a symbol of prosperity.

Chestnuts also play a prominent role in seasonal celebrations. Japan hosts chestnut fairs throughout the fall, showcasing a variety of chestnut-based delicacies and merchandise. One such festival is the Ise-Shima Chestnut Festival, held in Mie Prefecture.

Daisetsuzan National Park
Hokkaido Prefecture

Naruko Gorge
Miyagi Prefecture

Kuju Mountains
Oita Prefecture

Icho Namiki Avenue
Tokyo Prefecture

Momijigari, Taiso Yoshitoshi, 1839-1892

(Momijigari)

Momijigari, 紅葉狩り (Red leaf hunting or autumn leaf viewing) is a Japanese custom to make a trip to hills and valleys to appreciate autumn foliage in the fall

Since the Nara era (710–794), the Japanese have valued the beauty of the fall foliage. Manyoshu, the oldest collection of Japanese waka poems, was compiled during the Nara period and contains numerous poems on fall leaves

During the Heian period, the nobility traveled to the mountains to take in the fall leaves, even if they had plum and cherry blooms in their own gardens. Strolling on the ground was frowned upon by the nobility in those days. Noble preferred to refer to it as "hunting" for autumn foliage rather than "going" to watch crimson leaves.

A common motif among Japanese artists and craftspeople was red leaves. Autumn foliage has been an inspiration for many writers, artists, and craftspeople.

Lying down to

watch,

The swiftness of

the water,

Autumn leaves

drifting

Kyoshi Takahama