Seasonal food and drink habits for autumn in Japan

As temperatures drop, various lifestyle and culinary suggestions focus on warming seasonal foods and drinks. Morning beverage habits include lemon hot water for hydration and vitamin C, Chinese tea for mindfulness, and fresh herb teas using homegrown ingredients like lemon balm or oregano.

Culinary recommendations for autumn include hearty soups such as pumpkin potage, root vegetable minestrone, and mushroom with mackerel soup. For rice dishes, easy recipes using rice cookers feature seasonal ingredients like beef with burdock root, sweet potato with chestnut, and enoki mushrooms with fried tofu.

Additionally, tips for traditional oden include adding cabbage for nutrition and adjusting lotus root cuts for different textures. A recommended timing guide suggests adding ingredients like radish and eggs early, while reserving delicate items like hanpen for the end of the cooking process.