autumn – Calligraphy by Vicky

紅葉 (kō-yō) “Red autumn leaves”

A Japanese calligraphy work of 2 kanji characters, red ink on white background.

Japan is famous for its annual “cherry blossom season”. 🌸 Less well known is that autumn leaves are also widely celebrated. 🍁 Many people take trips to famous temples and shrines, parks and forests, in order to see the beautiful autumn colours. 🍂

一葉知秋 (ichi-yō-chi-shū) “from just one leaf one can know that autumn has come”

A Japanese calligraphy work of 4 kanji characters, gold ink on a red background.

一 = one 葉 = leaf 知 = to know 秋 = autumn This phrase is about understanding the essence, changes, or decline of things from noticing slight signs or phenomena. It refers to realising the arrival of autumn by observing a single leaf fall.

秋 (aki) autumn

the Japanese character for "autumn" in calligraphy.

Anyone who’s lived in Japan will know that they have many, many national holidays. The autumn and spring equinoxes are national holidays too. Japanese people seem to really like acknowledging the changing of the seasons. Restaurant menus (even cheap places) will have autumn-themed menus with pumpkin, chestnuts and mushrooms, and many people enjoy going toContinueContinue reading “秋 (aki) autumn”