Japan 101

Tsukimi is Japan’s quiet, centuries-old moon-viewing custom — dango, pampas grass and gratitude for the harvest. Here’s what it means and when to look up this autumn.

What Zen Buddhism actually teaches, how it shaped samurai culture and Japanese gardens, and where to sit zazen yourself in Kyoto.

What ukiyo-e actually is, how four different craftsmen made a single print, and how a wave off Kanagawa ended up reshaping European painting.

How Japanese animation grew from Edo-era woodblock art and 1960s TV into a global industry worth tens of billions of dollars.

Why Japanese castles have white or black walls, curved stone bases, and wooden towers — and why almost none of them are original.

What sake actually is, how a 2,000-year-old rice ferment became junmai, ginjo and daiginjo, and why autumn is when the best of it hits the shelves.

What kimono actually are, where they came from, and how sleeve length, pattern and color quietly signal a wearer’s age, status and the occasion.

The real history of Japan’s ninja, from Sengoku-era spies in Iga and Koga to the pop-culture legend tourists know today.

Japan’s autumn food season runs September to November, with matsutake mushrooms, sanma, chestnuts and new rice all peaking at once. A resident’s guide to what to eat, when and where.

The history behind momijigari, Japan’s centuries-old custom of “hunting” autumn leaves, from Heian court poetry to modern koyo trips.