“The Story of Princess Kaguya” is a somewhat humorous, but at the same time sad story – a tale of a mysterious and beautiful little girl emerging from bamboo.

The baby girl found and raised by a bamboo cutter and his wife grew into Princess Kaguya, and was known far and wide for beauty. Aristocratic bachelors came to court her but she rejected each by way of setting each demanding and difficult tasks to accomplish.

The story concludes with listeners / readers learning that Princess Kaguya comes from the moon – a place to which she was destined to return as she leaves earth on the night of the harvest moon; a sad scene that involves the princess bidding farewell to the people on earth.

It is said that the story of Princess Kaguya is Japan’s oldest story and that is was first penned around the 8th century or 9th century. The custom of moon viewing in Japan is also said to have started at around the same time.

On the reputed day Princess Kaguya left for the moon - August 15th by the lunar calendar - Japanese people have long prepared certain offerings to add to their enjoyment of viewing the harvest moon. Officially, under the old lunar calendar, moon viewing takes place on August 15th for “chushu-no-meigetsu” (the harvest moon)” and September 13th for “ato-no-tsuki” (the second harvest moon). In Japanese “Chushu” means the middle of autumn, (mid-September to October on the solar calendar). In 2006, “chushu-no-meigetsu” occurred on October 6th and “ato-no-tstuki” is set for November 3rd.

Historically, the origins of moon viewing are unclear bar for the fact that the practice came from China. It is likely however, that the ritual was aimed at praying for eternal life and to give thanks for a plentiful harvest. Rice cakes, Japanese pampas grass, chestnuts, or yams are common offerings to the moon and in some regions, a tug-of-war or sumo tournaments are held under moonlight. In some Western countries, the moon is believed to be connected to insanity but in Japan it signifies a time of harvest and healing.
Indeed, for many Japanese, the moon is something of a friend.

To take part in moon viewing this year, I obtained ‘kuri-kin-ton’ (a cake of mashed chestnuts). The period from September through to November is the best season for chestnuts in Japan and fresh brown chestnuts can be seen at supermarkets everywhere.

Japanese confectionery shops also sell sweets made from chestnuts and included is kuri-kin-ton – much favored for its soft touch and natural sweetness – a taste I associate with offering thanks for the autumn harvest.

As a child and even nowadays I enjoy(ed) the picture book “The Princess Kaguya” as did and do many Japanese. Personally the moon seems to be both a shining world and also the home of the pretty yet mysterious Princess Kaguya. Unfortunately, I could not enjoy “chu-shu-no-meigetsu” this year due to a passing typhoon so now I am waiting for “Ato-no-tsuki” on November 3rd to savor the autumn that day. Indeed, during this season, it seems that the moon is trying to tell us something. I wonder, does Princess Kaguya still miss the earth? Is she still trying to show her love and feelings for the people of earth?

[Kuri-kin-ton information]
Main ingredients：chestnuts and sugar

by Sawako Fujii

10月のお菓子
栗きんとん
　「竹取物語」をご存知だろうか？竹から生まれた美女、「かぐや姫」をめぐる、ユーモラスかつ切ない物語である。竹取の老人とその妻に拾われ、育てられたかぐや姫は、数ヵ月ほどで美しい女性に成長する。求婚者たちに無理難題を課し、かたくなに拒絶し続ける彼女は、実は月世界の住人。秋の半ば、月の美しい晩に、故郷へ帰ることになっていた―八世紀から九世紀にかけて書かれ、日本最古とされるこの物語は、日本人に愛されてきた。かぐや姫が地球に別れを告げた日は陰暦の8月15日。この日は「中秋の名月」を見る日とされ、お供えを準備してお月見を楽しむ風習が現在も続いている。
　正式なお月見とは、陰暦の8月15日に「中秋の名月」を見、9月13日に「後の月」を見ることだという。「中秋」という言葉は「秋の半ば」を意味し、新暦では9月半ばから10月にかけての時期を指す。2006年の「中秋の名月」は10月6日の、「後の月」は11月3日の月がそれに当たる。
　中国から伝わってきたとされるお月見の起源は明確ではないが、不老不死祈願や収穫への感謝を表すため、とする見方が有力である。月にお供えする内容についても諸説あるが、月見団子、すすき、栗や芋類というのが一般的のようだ。月の光のもと、綱引きや相撲大会などが行われる地域もある。西欧では月は狂気を誘うとされているが、私たち日本人にとっては収穫をもたらし、癒しを与えてくれる、友のような存在なのだ。
今年のお月見には、収穫を感謝する意の栗や芋にちなんで、栗きんとんを用意した。9月から11月は栗の季節。スーパーや八百屋さんにはつやつやとした栗が並び、和菓子屋各店は栗を使ったお菓子を売り出す。中でも、ほっくりとした感触と素朴な甘味が快い栗きんとんは人気が高い。秋の恵みに感謝しつつ、自然な甘みを味わいたい。
多くの日本の子ども達と同様、私も幼い時に、「かぐや姫」の絵本を楽しんだ。月という遠い惑星をなぜか身近に感じるのは、この物語の影響があるからかもしれない。私にとって、月は穴だらけの荒野ではなく、美しいかぐや姫の故郷、光り輝く世界に思える。
あいにく今年は、台風のため中秋の名月を鑑賞することはできなかった。今は11月3日の後の月まで、深まっていく秋を楽しむとしよう。この時期、月は何か言いたげに私たちを見下ろしている。地球を懐かしむかぐや姫が、その思いを私たちに届けようとしているのかもしれない。

[栗きんとん情報]
主な材料：栗、砂糖