Cool Moon Facts by Whip

Real astronomy, with sources. Folklore & tradition.

Folklore #055 Folklore & calendar

Japan has a moon-viewing night for the moon that isn't full yet, and attending only one of the two was considered rude.

Jūgoya is the famous fifteenth-night harvest moon; jūsanya, the thirteenth night of the following lunar month, honours the slightly imperfect one. Going to one and skipping the other was katami-tsuki, a one-sided moon, and thought to invite bad luck. An entire festival built on refusing to be satisfied by the obvious answer.

Tradition: Japanese tsukimi custom, Heian period onward · checked Aug 2026

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