Autumn and Yakiimo

It’s no secret that fall is my favorite time of year. Growing up in Minnesota, I spent many fall days enjoying the new colors atop a haystack in my back yard with my sister. These days, I find myself soaking in the beauty of this wondrous season in a place that is just about as far away from those haystacks of my youth as possible. Tokyo is a beautiful place to be during this season, don’t get me wrong. I adore Japanese Maple trees with the intense colors and leaves that look like stars and fit in the palm of your hand.

The Pine Tree Apple Orchard is another wonderful memory of fall in Minnesota. I actually spent a few summers/falls working at that orchard. I used to love the smell of apples and cinnamon that wafted through the air all around the main building. Apple trees heavily laden with ripe fruit were just waiting to be plucked and relieved of the weight. Every weekend the grounds were bustling with the feet of young and old alike looking for a way to categorize this perfect season with food. In Tokyo, my apple orchard has been replaced by my local grocery store. The smell of apples and cinnamon have been replaced with the smell of yakiimo, grilled satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato). Sometimes, I can hear the sounds of a vendor pulling a cart full of yakiimo. In a low, steady voice, the sound of “Yaki-mohhhh-ohhhhh” slowly moves down the unorganized blocks of our neighborhood, advertising the warmth of a little grilled, sweet starch to ward off the chill in the air.

Yes, autumn is a wondrous time of year in Minnesota and Japan. I have been surprised and immensely comforted by this fact over the past 2 years. As my third autumn in Tokyo approaches, I feel just as happy with the season. Although I miss that haystack in the my backyard with my sister. And apple rollovers from the Pine Tree Apple Orchard. So if you come across any of those things, could you just toss them on a plane to Tokyo? Thanks.