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Nagatsuki (September）

Choyo-no-Sekku (Chrysanthemum Festival)

September 9 is Choyo-no-Sekku, a traditional event based on a calendar with Yin and Yang principles in which a combination of odd-numbered days was considered auspicious in China. In China, people decorated chrysanthemums on this day and drank chrysanthemum wine with the fragrance of chrysanthemums to pray for long life and good health. A tradition was brought to Japan, which later became a significant ceremony during the Edo period (1603-1867) under the shogunate. The ordinary people competed with each other for the best chrysanthemum flowers and celebrated by making chrysanthemum dolls.

Tsukimachi

During the Edo period, people frequently gathered to wait for the moon to rise, an event known as Tsukimachi (waiting for the moon). This was a folkloric event whose purpose was fellowship and amusement. In the tradition of moon-watching, there were specific nights known as "Jyusan-ya" (13th night), "Jyugo-ya" (15th night), "Jyushichi-ya" (17th night), and "Nijyusan-ya" (23rd night).

Aki-matsuri (Autumn festival)

September was also the season for autumn festivals. Shiba shinmei matsuri is one of the longest autumn festivals. Known since ancient times as the "Dara Dara Festival," the festival was particularly famous for its ginger market. The first ginger of the season was sold at the gate during the festival. On the 15th, the Kanda Myojin Sai was held on a grand scale to conclude the big festivals in Edo.