In the fall, the harvest of new rice is celebrated at temples and shrines and moon viewing, tsukimi, is all the rage.  Residents and visitors alike head out for walks in the parks of Tokyo to take in the colorful fall foliage with almost as much delight as when they head off to picnic under the cherry blossoms each spring. The changing colors of fall foliage is a beautiful sight no matter where you are and Japan is no exception.  The leaves of Japanese Maple trees make a gradual change from pale green to a fiery red each autumn and the Ginko leaves turn a lovely shade of yellow.  Consider a cruise down the Sumida River to Hamarikyu Detached Palace Garden or a visit to Rikugien Garden to take in the stunning colors of fall in Tokyo.

Moon viewing is a traditional Japanese autumn event that coincides with the full moons in September and October each year. Japanese silver grass, dumplings called tsukimi dango and sake are usually displayed as offerings during tsukimi which will occur on September 14th and October 11th this year.  The Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel in Shibuya has put together a tsukimi accommodation package that includes a bottle of sake and seasonal foods meant to be enjoyed while you gaze out at the moon from your room on the upper floors of the hotel.  The package also includes a twin or king room and breakfast for ¥48,000 and is available through November 14th.

The city’s restaurants and home chefs take full advantage of seasonal foods and fall favorites such as pine mushrooms (matsutake), gingko nuts (ginnan) and mackerel (saba) will start to appear on menus and in the supermarkets along with new rice (shin-mai) which is harvested in September and October.

While summer in Tokyo is the peak of festival season in the city, there are many fun fall festivals and events on the calendar.  The Japan Times Festival Listings offer a good overview of events in the city each month and is a great resource to find the fall festival that fits into your schedule.

So get out there, sample some seasonal food, attend a fall festival and be sure to ponder the moon this Autumn in Tokyo!

Image Credit: Flickr, Happiness Found in Ueno Park & Full Moon

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Many festivals are held throughout the year and you can attend one on almost any weekend during the summer months. The Japan Times provides a Monthly Guide to Festivals in Japan which is a great resource for visitors and residents alike. Attending a festival is a great way to get some insight into Japanese culture by sampling some of the street food or taking in some of the entertainment or festival games. The festivals usually held on the grounds of historic temples or shrines and lend a historic atmosphere to these great events.

Hanabi, or fireworks, are very popular during the summer months. The Sumida River Fireworks Festival, scheduled for July 26th (weather permitting), is the oldest fireworks show on record in Japan. It dates back to 1733, when the Shogun staged a ceremony the Sumida River to pray for the souls of the victims of a famine the previous year and to drive away disease.

If you just want to relax on a sunny afternoon, pick up a bento from your local grocery store and head out to one of these great parks:

• Yoyogi Park, a huge green area near the Meiji Jingu Shrine (map). Sundays are great for people watching as the Gothic Lolitas and their friends are usually out in force strutting their stuff.
• Ueno Park offers a relaxing stroll around the Shinobazu pond, where you can rent pedal powered boats, or you can visit the Ueno Zoo before claiming a spot for your picnic. (map)

You can also dine by the light of fireflies until July 18th or cheer on your favorite team at a baseball game.

It might be hot outside, but why would you want to stay home with the air conditioner going full blast when there are so many great things to do and see over the summer in Tokyo!

Photo Credit: Flickr, Yukata Couple, Fireworks 04 & Yoyogi Park

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler