月見(つきみ)

つきみ
noun
moon viewing
culturefoodnature
1. moon viewing
The traditional Japanese custom of admiring the autumn moon, especially the full moon in mid-September (十五夜(じゅうごや)). Involves displaying pampas grass and eating rice dumplings.
秋(あき)は月見(つきみ)の季節(きせつ)だ。
Autumn is the season for moon viewing.
縁側(えんがわ)で月見(つきみ)をしながら団子(だんご)を食(た)べた。
I ate dumplings while viewing the moon from the veranda.
十五夜(じゅうごや)に家族(かぞく)で月見(つきみ)をするのが毎年(まいとし)の楽(たの)しみだ。
Viewing the moon with my family on the night of the harvest moon is something I look forward to every year.
2. moon-viewing style (with a raw egg)
A style of serving food with a raw egg on top, where the yolk resembles the full moon. Common with soba, udon, and hamburgers.
月見(つきみ)そばを注文(ちゅうもん)した。
I ordered a moon-viewing soba (soba with a raw egg).
月見(つきみ)うどんは卵(たまご)が入(はい)っている。
Moon-viewing udon has an egg in it.
ファストフード店(てん)が秋(あき)限定(げんてい)の月見(つきみ)バーガーを発売(はつばい)して話題(わだい)になった。
A fast-food chain made headlines by releasing a limited autumn moon-viewing burger.

Cultural note

Moon viewing (月見(つきみ)/お月見(つきみ)) is one of Japan's traditional autumn customs, centered on 十五夜(じゅうごや) (the 15th night of the 8th lunar month, usually mid-September). People display 薄(すすき) (pampas grass) and offer 月見(つきみ)団子(だんご) (rice dumplings) to appreciate the harvest moon.

Sense 2 comes from the resemblance of a raw egg yolk to the full moon. 月見(つきみ)そば and 月見(つきみ)うどん are standard menu items at noodle shops. McDonald's Japan's seasonal 月見(つきみ)バーガー has become a cultural event.

Common collocations

  • お月見(つきみ): moon viewing (polite)
  • 月見(つきみ)団子(だんご): moon-viewing dumplings
  • 月見(つきみ)そば: soba with a raw egg
  • 月見(つきみ)バーガー: moon-viewing burger (seasonal)

Related Words

Related: すすき (pampas grass, Japanese silver grass)
Related: 十五夜(じゅうごや) (night of the full moon)
general
Added 2026.2.23 14:14 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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