Japan's Full Moon Viewing Festival & Noodle Recipes

September is Tsuki-mi月見, also known as Chushu no Meigetsu, a full moon viewing festival. This festival takes place around late September or early October, depending on each calendar year.

Chushu means mid-autumn, and Meigetsu means clear, beautiful moon. Dry autumn air allows us to enjoy a clear view of the moon. This is also a time to offer appreciation to God with harvested agricultural products, such as satoimo taro potatoes, sweet potatoes, and chestnuts.

It is not an official festival food, but people enjoy Tsukimi soba/udon, a type of soba/udon associated with moon-viewing. Pictured above is a hot soba/udon noodle soup bowl, where a raw egg is dropped in the noodle soup.

This reminds people of a bright and clear moon in the night sky. The egg white, which partially cooks in the hot broth, resembles a cloud. By the way, tsukimi soba/udon is a popular menu item at every noodle shop across Japan all year round.

While slurping the noodles, think of the Chushu no Meigetsu festival, no matter which season you are in.

By the way, the photo above is Tsukimi somen. I had only somen left in my kitchen to make the dish. Mid-autumn moon illustration courtesy of Sozaiya Berry.

This month, the recipes are all noodles.

There are two technique recipes: How to Cook Dry Udon Noodles and How to Make Udon Noodle Broth. The other two recipes are Shrimp Curry Udon and Fried Eggplant Udon

My Visit to Long Season Farm

When we discuss our health and the health of the earth, we refer to the term Shindo-fuji 身土不二, which means that our body 身 and the soil 土 are inseparable 不二. In other words, consuming locally grown food products and drinking clean local water are vital to maintaining our well-being.

I depend on nutrient-dense and flavor-packed locally grown vegetables. Some of the farmers practice regenerative agriculture to preserve the health of the soil and environment, produce and deliver healthy vegetables to local consumers, and ensure the well-being of farm workers.

Long Season Farm in Kerhonkson is one of them. I made a visit to the farm in June to find out how the delicious vegetables which I purchase are raised by Sam, the owner-farmer, and his employees.

I harvested some of the shun (height of the season) vegetables and used them to prepare a Japanese vegetable lunch for the farmers.

For the lunch preparation, I was led to an outside space where a tap water sink and a weathered barbecue grill stood. Boiling water multiple times to cook vegetables was challenging under this situation. Still, I managed to prepare a lovely meal!

Typhoon Season in Japan

September is when Japan experiences one of its most powerful typhoons. The autumn front near the island of Honshu, the main island, is stimulated by warm, humid air as the typhoon approaches from the south, causing heavy rain and increasing the likelihood of major disasters. In the past, typhoons were localized issues.

Climate change is dramatically altering the pattern of typhoons, with increased intensity, unpredictable routes, and landings in unexpected locations, leading to widespread natural disasters across Japan.

Learn more about the 2025 Typhoon Season

The Insect Musicians

How people perceive the insects chirping—noise or soothing sound—depends on who we are.

Recently, I read The Outsider: The Life and Work of Lafcadio Hearn. Lafcadio Hearn was fascinated by Japanese culture and produced many stories about Japan. 

One of them is the "insect musicians." It amazed him that Japanese people keep insects in cages for their songs and admire them.

During the Edo period (1600-1989), the custom of petting crickets and other musical insects spread among the commoners. 

This practice still continues today. I look forward to hearing the sounds of crickets chirping as the days of September advance in my garden. It has been a melancholy sound because it is associated with the end of summer. 

This video shows a traditional craftsman making a mushi-kago 虫かご, insect box.

Collaboration with New York Botanical Garden

On September 29, 2025, I will work with the New York Botanical Garden (NBG). The venue is at one of the trustees’ apartments in New York City.

I will present a PowerPoint lecture called "What defines Japanese Cuisine as we know it today," and serve autumn-themed meals, which align with my talk, to celebrate some of the members’ October trip to Japan.

Food is one of the key aspects of understanding the country’s history, religious beliefs, and people’s lives. Food is powerful.

Looking forward to seeing you in October! Please share my website so your family, friends, and colleagues can enjoy the monthly newsletters as well.

— Hiroko