How many can you solve? An Otsukimi trivia quiz from general knowledge to surprising fun facts

approximately 4.5 cm in diameter

The traditional size of tsukimi dango is said to be about 4.5 centimeters in diameter, which equals one sun and five bu. This “one sun, five bu” is a play on words with “Jugoya” (the fifteenth night) and is considered auspicious. If you want to honor the origins and traditions of the festival, it’s recommended to make them in this size.

pyramidal

It is common to offer tsukimi dango stacked high, typically in a pyramid shape. This is said to symbolize the full moon by piling up the rice cakes, and to arrange them prominently as a prayer for a good harvest and as an expression of gratitude. Since 15 dumplings are stacked for the night of the full moon (Jūgoya), ease of stacking might also be a reason.

pounding mochi

In Japanese moon-viewing folklore, it is said that a rabbit lives in the moon, and that rabbit is pounding mochi. This legend arose because the full moon’s patterns look like a rabbit pounding rice cakes. One fun aspect of the moon is that other countries have different animals and stories associated with it.

Chestnut Moon

Jūsan-ya is a traditional Japanese moon-viewing event held on the night of the 13th day of the 9th month in the old lunar calendar. Considered the second most beautiful moon after the Mid-Autumn full moon (Jūgo-ya), this night is also called “Chestnut Moon” or “Bean Moon” because of the custom of offering chestnuts and beans. In contrast, Jūgo-ya is also known as “Taro Moon,” when taro and other foods are offered.

Japan

The Jusan-ya is a uniquely Japanese traditional event held on the 13th night of the ninth month in the old lunar calendar to admire the moon. Alongside the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (the fifteenth night), it is beloved, but unlike the fifteenth night, which came from China, there is no Jusan-ya in China; it began in Japan. It is customary to offer items such as chestnuts and beans and to gaze at the moon.

round shape

In the Kanto region, tsukimi dango are typically simple white dumplings shaped into plain spheres. For the harvest moon viewing on the night of the fifteenth moon, it is traditional to stack these dumplings in a pyramid as decoration. Meanwhile, in the Kansai region, the shapes differ from round ones and vary by area, which is one of the intriguing aspects of Japanese culture.

rabbit

Speaking of moon-viewing, the legend that a rabbit lives on the moon is well known. In Japan, the pattern on the full moon looks like a rabbit pounding rice cakes, so rabbits often appear as an image of moon-viewing. The vague patterns that float on the moon are likened to different things depending on the country, so it’s fun to look into those differences, too.