Momijigari (紅葉狩) in Kubota Garden

10/28/11 • Kubota Garden

by aleks, photos by Tony

Momijigari (紅葉狩), from the Japanese momiji (紅葉), "red leaves" or "maple tree" and kari (狩り), "hunting", is the Japanese tradition of going to visit scenic areas where leaves have turned red in the autumn.

Many Japanese people take part in this, with the cities of Nikkō and Kyoto being particularly famous destinations. The tradition is said to have originated in the Heian era as a cultured pursuit, and is the reason why many deciduous trees can be found in the Kyoto area.

Seattle Japanese Garden has its own tradition of Maple Viewing Festival (currently still ongoing) and the pictures of our turning maples were shown on this blog previous years.  This year Momijigari in our sister Kubota Garden (both SJG and Kubota are public gardens, managed by  Seattle Parks Department).

10/28/11 • Kubota Garden

10/28/11 • Kubota Garden

From Wikipedia: Momijigari (紅葉狩) or Maple Viewing (English title) is a Japanese shosagoto (dance) play, usually performed in kabuki and noh. It was also the first narrative ever filmed in Japan. It was written by Kanze Nobumitsu during the Muromachi period.  [...] 

The original play, performed in both noh and kabuki, is a story of the warrior Taira no Koremochi visiting Togakushi-yama, a mountain in Shinshū for the seasonal maple-leaf viewing event. In reality, he has come to investigate and kill a demon that has been plaguing the mountain's deity, Hachiman.

There he meets a princess named Sarashinahime, and drinks some sake she offers him. Thereupon she reveals her true form as the demon Kijo, and attacks the drunk man. Koremochi is able to escape using his sword, called Kogarasumaru, which was given to him by Hachiman. The demon gnaws on a maple branch as she dies. [...]

10/28/11 • Kubota Garden

But Maple Viewing Fest is also all around us, as Seattle has a climate similar to parts of Japan and many Japanese maples are planted around the city.  It's probably on your street, but come to Seattle Japanese Garden and Kubota Garden to see the it in particular Japanese-style setting.

10/28/11 • Kubota Garden