“ Pumpkin for Halloween and Winter Solstice “

Recently, Halloween has become one of the popular events in Japan. And so, pumpkin is often used to make jack-o'-lanterns and to cook Halloween dishes. Lately, I have been seeing Halloween decorations near my place often because Halloween is coming soon.

But it feels more familiar to eat pumpkin on winter solstice as a habit in Japan. My mother used to cook pumpkin on winter solstice. My mother loved practicing seasonal habits. I miss her pumpkins.

I think it is good for Japanese people to enjoy Halloween, but I don't want to forget Japanese seasonal habits. I’d like to cook pumpkin on winter solstice this year, too.