A collection of trivia and fun facts about September as we await autumn
September marks the time when, despite the lingering late-summer heat, a hint of autumn slowly begins to drift in.
With school events like sports festivals and cultural festivals, moon-viewing, and Respect for the Aged Day, there’s plenty to look forward to—every bit as fun as summer was not long ago!
In this article, we’ll introduce trivia and fun facts about September.
We’ve gathered a variety of topics, from seasonal events and foods to commemorative days in September.
Once you know these, you’re sure to enjoy September even more!
Through these bits of trivia and fun facts, take a moment to savor what’s in season this September.
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Trivia & Fun Facts About September as We Await Autumn (11–20)
September is Cancer Control Month
September is Cancer Control Month.
During this period, various events are held—such as the National Cancer Control Convention—aimed at raising awareness about cancer prevention and encouraging appropriate prevention, early detection, and early treatment.
Cancer is the leading cause of death among Japanese people; in 2022, more than 380,000 individuals died from various types of cancer.
With early detection and appropriate treatment, cancer can sometimes go into remission.
Now that you know about Cancer Control Month, why not take this opportunity to get screened?
Pacific saury wasn’t popular in the Edo period.
Pacific saury is a quintessential taste of autumn.
Some people even say, “It doesn’t feel like autumn unless I eat saury!” Despite how deeply loved it is by the Japanese today, it was surprisingly almost unknown in the Edo period.
As evidence, saury never appears in the works of haiku poets or writers active in that era, and there are hardly any records about it.
It only became widely popular among Japanese people after World War II.
In the 1950s, catches increased rapidly, and saury became an indispensable ingredient on Japanese dining tables.
Dried persimmons are 1.5 times sweeter than sugar.
Hoshigaki, dried persimmons with a rich sweetness reminiscent of wagashi, are made by drying astringent persimmons so that the tannins change from water-soluble to insoluble, removing the bitterness.
It’s said that the resulting sweetness can reach up to 1.5 times that of sugar.
While that may sound discouraging to those cutting back on sugar, hoshigaki are also highly nutritious, containing dietary fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and potassium—making them an excellent food when eaten in moderation.
Chewing thoroughly also stimulates satiety and can help prevent overeating!
Susuki (Japanese pampas grass) has another name, “Obana.”
When it comes to the seven flowers of autumn, they are ominaeshi (Patrinia), obana, kikyo (balloon flower), nadeshiko (fringed pink), fujibakama (thoroughwort), kuzu (kudzu), and hagi (bush clover).
Some people memorized them using the mnemonic formed from their initial sounds: “Osukina fuku wa?” (“What clothes do you like?”).
But this raises the question: there’s no “su,” is there…? That little puzzle is solved the moment you learn that another name for obana is susuki (Japanese pampas grass).
It was named “obana” because its flower plumes look like a tail.
Once you know the reason, doesn’t “obana” feel even more fitting than “susuki”?
Autumnal Equinox Day is the day when the length of day and night are the same.
The autumnal equinox is the day when daylight and nighttime are said to be the same length.
This comes from the fact that the sun rises almost due east and sets almost due west, but to be precise, it’s more accurate to say they are “almost equal.” In reality, there’s a difference of a few minutes.
This has to do with the definitions of day and night and how things appear from observatories—there are some complex factors involved.
Still, it remains a turning point of the seasons.
As we look ahead to the coming winter, why not spend this time savoring the calm of autumn?