Weather Words: 'Momijigari'

Why We Say ‘Raining Cats And Dogs’

Momijigari (pronounced like this) is a Japanese word that means “red leaves hunting.” It comes from “momiji,” the Japanese word for red leaves (or maple tree) and “kari,” which means “hunting.”

Momijigari is the tradition of visiting areas to see beautifully red leaves in the fall. It began as early as the Heian period (794-1185). Interestingly, the oldest extant Japanese film, a six-minute movie from 1899, is called “Momijigari.”

Ready To Learn More? Here Are Some Recent Weather Words You May Have Missed:

• A​tmospheric River
• C​ramble
• G​raupel
• S​anta Ana WindsM​esolow
• S​t. Elmo's Fire

Y​ou can find our entire archive of Weather Words here.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.