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As we enter September, a cool, refreshing autumn breeze has gradually begun to blow through the streets of Japan and my hometown of Yokohama. In fact, it has been quite cool over the past few days.

Autumn in Japan is not just about the temperature dropping; it is also a season to appreciate a sense of quiet melancholy and tranquility. This delicate sensibility has been passed down in Japanese poetry (Waka) for hundreds of years.

In the traditional Japanese poetry anthology, Hyakunin Isshu, there is a famous poem that perfectly captures this autumn scenery:

"In the deep mountains, stepping through the fallen autumn leaves, when I hear the call of the crying deer, that is when the sorrow of autumn is truly felt."

Ancient Japanese people sensed the deepening of autumn and a quiet melancholy not only through visual beauty like autumn leaves but also through their sense of hearing, listening to the invisible cry of a deer. Listening closely to the sounds of nature and turning one's heart to the changing of the seasons is a deeply rooted Japanese aesthetic.

Recently, I have been able to go on little evening walks with my 3-year-old son, Yui, and my newborn, Ren. Listening to the sudden chirping of autumn insects, I can truly feel the quiet transition of the seasons. During these long autumn nights, I encourage you to open your windows, listen to the sounds of nature, and feel the essence of autumn.

By the way, the author of the poem I just introduced is actually a very mysterious figure named Sarumaru Dayu. There is no historical proof that he actually existed. Despite being such an enigmatic figure, his outstanding talent earned him a place as one of the 36 Poetry Immortals (Sanjurokkasen) of Japan.

In reality, "Sarumaru Dayu" might have been a collective name for a group of many different poets. In the history of acupuncture and Oriental medicine that I study, this kind of thing happens quite often.

It is fascinating to think that the autumn melancholy felt by a nameless figure who lived over a thousand years ago still resonates so deeply with us living today.