Microseason: Intermittent Drizzle

AUTUMN

MORNING FROST

INTERMITTENT DRIZZLE

28 October - 1 November

A survey from 2022 reports that over the course of a single year, October is when Japanese people feel most content, peaceful, at ease. While I do not have data on this yet, I suspect some of this is in great thanks to the fact that the natural world provides the perfect conditions that nudge us to breathe deeper.

The air is dewy, the temperature is just right, and the loveliest of scents fill the air. Breathing deeper calms our nervous system, which leads to lowering stress levels, releasing serotonin, and increasing the speed of recovery, yes?

While aromatic sansho pepper leaves like this are picked for use in seasonal Spring dishes, the leaves continue to mature of over Summer, and by Autumn, they are heartier and darker. And like a treasure hunt, coming upon a sansho tree during Autumn walks remains a joy. Picking a leaf, placing it in the palm of your hand, and clapping to release its unique scent.

In every corner of the city, and across the countryside, kinmokusei, or golden osmanthus, stop us in our tracks and before we know it, we’ve slowed down and our noses search for the nearest tree. It’s another clear indication of October, as we are urged to breathe.

In Japanese, we call breathing, kokyu, literally “exhale-inhale”. Exhale comes first. Only once the lungs are empty, can it be filled with the ambrosial Autumn air.

Photo credit: Momoko Nakamura