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Japanese Culture
Tsukimi
Tsukimi (moon viewing) is a custom to appreciate the full moon in the middle of September (the night of August 15, juugo-ya, by the lunar calendar). The moon is called "chuushu no meigetsu." The custom was introduced from China, and spread in the Heian period (794-1192). The full moon in the clear autumn sky looks especially beautiful, and the moon hidden slightly by thin cloud is considered very elegant. The original form of tsukimi is to liken the moon to a divinity, and to pray for a plentiful harvest of rice. "Tsukimi dango (a kind of dumplings)," "susuki (Japanese pampas grass)," seasonal fruits and sake are offered to the moon.
There is a Japanese dish called "tsukimi-udon," which is a noodle soup with cracked egg on top. It got it's name because the raw egg-yolk looks like a full moon in the bowl.
In ancient times the Japanese believed that rabbits lived on the moon, and they made "mochi (rice cakes)" with a wooden pestle. You might see them on the day of the full moon ...
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