Jeepney Press / Alma Fatagani-Sato

Autumn Foods by Alma Fatagani-Sato

In Japan, there four (4) seasons – Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall/Autumn. I have been living in Japan for quite sometime, and I always look forward to Autumn. Born and raised in a tropical country, the cool autumn breeze has a very calming and relaxing eect on me.

When I think of Autumn, I imagine the beauty of the yellow and red leaves and the cool wind that blows on those colorful leaves. There are many activities that you can enjoy during Autumn – the arts (Geijitsu no Aki), reading (Dokusho no Aki), sports (Sports no Aki) and the one I love the most is eating (Shokuyoku no Aki).

During this season, there are many delicious food to taste like – sweet potatoes (satsumaimo), chestnuts (kuri), persimmons (kaki), lotus roots (renkon), pears (nashi),etc. But my favorite is Matsutake also known as pine tree mushroom. It’s a kind of mushroom with strong aroma and mild taste. It’s quite expensive but it’s worth the price.

Just a pinch of Matsutake, on top of steamed rice, exudes a very strong aroma that stimulates your appetite. Since it’s quite pricey, a piece of Matsutake mushroom is used for many kinds of dishes like Matsutake gohan (steamed rice mixed with small bits of the mushroom), tempura, dobin mushi (steam-boiled in an earthenware teapot), etc.

There are many varieties of mushrooms all throughout the year in Japan, but the Matsutake mushroom can only be enjoyed during the Autumn season. If you happen to be in Japan during the Autumn season, better try tasting all the foods available during this season.