Lesson Blog September 9th, 2025 (Additional)

Today marks the Double Ninth Festival, one of the five seasonal celebrations, where the auspicious odd number nine is doubled. It is also known as the Chrysanthemum Festival, celebrating the chrysanthemum, a symbol of eternal youth and longevity.

Since ancient times, customs have been passed down where people gather dew collected on chrysanthemums covered with cotton to cleanse their bodies and faces in the morning, and drink chrysanthemum sake to ward off evil spirits. The traditional food for this occasion is chestnut rice.

The flowers on the alcove are gentian, karukaya, thoroughwort, great burnet, and dahurian patrinina.

For sweets, prepared Chouyou (Toraya Confectionary Co., Ltd).