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Wisdom of Eastern Medicine for Navigating the Changing Seasons and the 24 Solar Terms' "Hakuro" (White Dew).

Around September 7th, Japan enters the season of "Hakuro" (White Dew), one of the 24 solar terms. Japan has a beautiful calendar known as the "24 Solar Terms," which further divides the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter into 24 distinct micro-seasons.

Hakuro literally means "white dew resting on plants." While the daytime heat lingers, the morning and evening air becomes cooler, making it the season when you can truly begin to feel the arrival of autumn. Since ancient times in Japan, people have captured these subtle natural changes as a calendar, adapting their lifestyles and diets to match the changing seasons.

The Japanese sensibility of describing the water droplets that form on plants from the morning and evening chill as "white dew" is truly beautiful. Ancient poets found a fleeting beauty in this morning dew, which disappears so quickly, leaving behind many waka poems and haiku. It perfectly reflects the delicate sensibility unique to Japan.

The appearance of the sky also changes with nature. The powerful cumulonimbus clouds of summer fade away, replaced by high-stretching autumn clouds known as "scale clouds" (urokogumo) or "sardine clouds" (iwashigumo). As the traditional saying goes, "Autumn is the season when the sky is high and the horses grow stout," it is the time of year when the sky appears its highest and clearest.

Experiencing Hakuro through food is a highly recommended way to spend time in Japan. The scent of juicy Japanese pears, sweet grapes, and fatty Pacific saury naturally stimulates the appetite.

Through the cool morning and evening breezes, the high, clear sky, and the delicious flavors of autumn, I invite you to seek out the essence of Hakuro in Japan.