Japanese Maple trees provide the atypical autumn scenery in Japan. Nakajima sensei introduces a cultural activity called Momiji Gari that many Japanese people do and has deep cultural and historical roots in Japan.What do you do to enjoy the autumn or fall season ? Perhaps you can try the activity introduced in this Japanese blog and Japanese listening video.
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Read Natural Japanese in Context:Viewing Autumn leaves
紅葉狩り
「 女心と秋の空」と言われるように、秋の空は移り変わりが激しいことで知られています。そんな変わりやすい秋をあなたはどのように過ごしますか?
私は毎年秋になると紅葉狩りに出かけます。紅葉狩りとは、きのこ狩りや梨狩りのように紅葉を取って食べるのではありません。野山へ出かけて赤や黄色に色が変わった葉の様子を見て楽しむことです。春にはお花見がありますが、秋は紅葉を見て季節の移り変わりを実感します。
日本にはいつごろからこの習慣があったのでしょうか?日本最古の歌集「万葉集」の中には、紅葉の美しさを詠んでいる歌がたくさんあります。 つまり、 1200年前には紅葉狩りの習慣があったのかもしれませんね。あなたも、紅葉狩りに出かけて、季節の移り変わりを感じてみませんか?
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紅葉狩り
「女心と秋の空」と言われるように、秋の空は移り変わりが激しいことで知られています。そんな変わりやすい秋をあなたはどのように過ごしますか?
私は毎年、秋になると紅葉狩りに出かけます。紅葉狩りとは、きのこ狩りや梨狩りのように紅葉を取って食べるのではありません。 野山へ出かけて赤や黄色に色が変わった葉の様子を見て楽しむことです。春にはお花見がありますが、秋は紅葉を見て季節の移り変わりを実感します。
日本にはいつごろからこの習慣があったのでしょうか?日本最古の歌集「万葉集」の中には、紅葉の美しさを詠んでいる歌がたくさんあります。 つまり、 1200年前には紅葉狩りの習慣があったのかもしれませんね。あなたも、紅葉狩りに出かけて、季節の移り変わりを感じてみませんか?
English Translation for Understanding
Viewing Autumn leaves
They say that,“A woman's mind is like the autumn weather”, which means to say that autumn skies change tempestuously. How do you usually spend these changeable autumn days ?
Every year, when autumn comes along, I usually go out to 'hunt' for Maple leaves (or 'Momiji gari' in Japanese). 'Momiji gari' is unlike 'Kinoko gari' (gathering mushrooms) or 'Nashi gari' (Japanese pear picking) as in you don't go find 'Momiji' and eat them. It it the act of going out in the hills and dales, finding and enjoy looking at the appearance of leaves that have changed to reds and yellows. In spring we have cherry blossom viewing and in autumn we go out to look at the Maple leaves and feel the changing of the seasons.
I wonder when this custom began in Japan ? In the Manyoushuu, Japan's oldest anthology of poems,there are many poems or songs written about the beauty of Maple leaves. Which means that the custom of 'Momiji gari' could go back as far 1200 years ago. Why don't you go out and try 'Momiji gari' and feel the change of the seasons.
This Week’s Key Vocabulary
女心と秋の空 Women's mind is like the weather of autumn
移り変わり change
習慣 custom
最古の the oldest
万葉集 Manyoushuu (famous 8thC poetry) Japan's oldest anthology of poems
詠む compose; write
つまり in short; in other words ; that is to say
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