The origin of the moon viewing festival

Moon viewing is an ancient Japanese event, a traditional custom of celebrating the autumn harvest and admiring the moon.
It originally came from China, and during the Heian period, aristocrats began holding "moon-viewing parties" where they would admire the moon and compose poetry.
Later, the event spread among farmers as a way to pray for a good harvest.
Moon viewing is also known as the "Mid-Autumn Festival" (Jugoya) , and falls on August 15th of the lunar calendar.
The moon is particularly beautiful at this time and appears nearly full.

We are often asked, "When is the moon viewing festival?", but the date changes every year.
The moon viewing festival (full moon viewing) in 2024 will be on Tuesday, September 17th .
On this day, people offer rice dumplings shaped like the moon and autumn harvests, decorate with ears of pampas grass, and enjoy the beauty of the moon.
This is a Japanese custom of giving thanks for the blessings of nature, praying for a good harvest, and enjoying the moon during the long autumn nights.

Enjoy gifts and offerings for the moon viewing in plain furoshiki

In celebration of the moon viewing festival, people are increasingly giving autumn gifts to family and friends.
In such cases, using a plain furoshiki can create a simple and elegant gift.

1. Autumn flavors wrapped in plain furoshiki

Wrapping autumn delicacies such as dumplings, sweet potatoes, and chestnuts, which are staples of the moon viewing season, in a furoshiki cloth makes a gift with a calming atmosphere.
Plain furoshiki are simple yet add elegance to gifts, and by choosing the right size and color for the occasion, you can enhance the autumnal feel.
The plain design without being overly decorative highlights the Japanese style.

2. Reusable eco-friendly gifts

Furoshiki is an environmentally friendly wrapping item because it can be reused.
Wrapping autumn harvests or sweets in these gifts conveys to both the giver and the recipient the thoughtfulness of a gift that is in harmony with nature.
The appeal of plain furoshiki is that they are simple and can be used for any occasion, and are easy to reuse regardless of the season.

3. Wrap your moon-viewing offerings in a furoshiki for an elegant look

On the night of the moon viewing festival, families often gather together to enjoy dumplings and seasonal ingredients, and wrapping these offerings in a plain furoshiki can add a simple yet elegant touch to the table.
If you wrap the plate with the dumplings or fruit, cleanup is easy and it looks beautiful.

summary

Moon viewing is a traditional event where people celebrate the autumn harvest while enjoying the beauty of the moon.
The moon viewing festival in 2024 will be held on September 17th .
Why not take this opportunity to make your moon viewing even more special by using a plain furoshiki?
Wrap gifts and offerings that evoke a sense of nature in an elegant and simple furoshiki and enjoy the autumn atmosphere.