this month in japan
September 長月
September at a glance
- Still summer by day, autumn by night, and Tokyo's wettest stretch begins.
Weather
- Tokyo: 28°C / 20°C. About 225mm of rain, nearly four times January's.
- Kyoto: averages 24.4°C.
- Sapporo: 23°C / 15°C. The first crisp mornings.
- Okinawa (Naha): 31°C / 26°C.
- Pack: summer clothes, a decent umbrella, and a light layer for Hokkaido evenings.
What's happening
- Third Monday: Respect for the Aged Day.
- Autumnal Equinox Day, 23 September in 2027. When the two holidays fall close together, they make a long weekend.
- 1–3 September: Owara Kaze no Bon, Yatsuo, Toyama. Hushed, slow dancing through the streets to fiddle and song.
- Grand Sumo, September tournament — Ryogoku Kokugikan, Tokyo.
- Usually mid-September: Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri, Osaka. Huge wooden floats taken around corners at a run.
What's in season
- Sanma, Pacific saury, salt-grilled. The taste of autumn.
- Saba, mackerel. Matsuwa on the Miura Peninsula is known for it.
- Chestnuts, set out at the moon-viewing season.
- Sweet potatoes.
The 72 seasons
| 候 | Romaji | Meaning | From c. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 草露白 | kusa no tsuyu shiroshi | Dew glistens white on grass | 8 Sep |
| 鶺鴒鳴 | sekirei naku | Wagtails sing | 13 Sep |
| 玄鳥去 | tsubame saru | Swallows leave | 18 Sep |
| 雷乃収声 | kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu | Thunder ceases | 23 Sep |
| 蟄虫坏戸 | mushi kakurete to o fusagu | Insects seal their burrows | 28 Sep |
| 水始涸 | mizu hajimete karuru | Fields are drained | 3 Oct |
Crowds
Many people take holidays in late September, so plan around the two public holidays. Early September is the easier window.
psst,
Order sanma whole and salt-grilled at a counter place. No fish says autumn in Japan more plainly.