In Japan, there is a cultural expression called “___ no aki.” which means “the autumn of ___.” For example, people say “the autumn of reading”, “the autumn of sports”, or “the autumn of food.” The idea of this is that autumn is the perfect season for various activities because the weather is comfortable and there are many seasonal foods and events. In this blog, I would like to introduce you to an interesting aspect of Japanese culture.
読書の秋（The Autumn of Reading）
The fall has a long night, and the atmosphere is calm, which makes it perfect for reading books. This idea is also connected to an old poem and literature that describes autumn as the best season for reading books.
スポーツの秋 (The Autumn of Sports)
In the fall, the weather becomes cooler, and it’s perfect for the outdoors. We even have a national holiday called “Sports Day” held on the second Monday of October. Also, many Japanese schools hold a Sports Festival in the fall. This is one of the biggest events for schools, and students compete in running races, tug-of-war, and even group dances.
食欲の秋（The autumn of good food）
The fall is harvest season, so many good foods are available – rice, seasonal fish, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, persimmons, and mushrooms. After the hot summer ends, people regain their appetite, and the fall is the perfect time to eat good foods.
In this blog, I introduced Japanese autumn culture. I really like the autumn of good food because we not only have delicious meals, but also seasonal sweets and drinks at Starbucks. Every fall, I look forward to trying them. How about you? Would your autumn be the season of reading, sports, or food? I would be glad if you found a little interest in Japan's unique autumn culture. Thank you for reading to the end!