食时 In Season Chushu · 1 Sep 2026 · Tokyo
Card 1 — a bowl of cold noodles under thick pale sesame sauce, green cucumber shreds, one drop of chilli-red oil; dish name handwritten: Sesame Cold Noodles 麻酱凉面
Card 2 — one wind chime hanging perfectly still; the line: September, and the chime hasn't moved
Card 3 — six food doodles with wobbly arrows labelling sesame paste, noodles, cucumber, garlic, Sichuan pepper oil, a splash of vinegar
Card 4 — a small mortar with ground sesame and the pestle resting; the line: Thick enough to stay on

夏日蝉语

Cicada Weather
English
  • 1 September 2026. Tokyo. Chushu, the tenth day.
  • The old almanac calls today the wind day. The chime did not move.
  • Thirty-one degrees, cloudy, a heat warning anyway. Tomorrow, thirty-three.
  • No stove. And nothing sour — this month has had enough sour.
  • Sesame paste loosened with a spoonful of the noodle water. Cucumber. One drop of Sichuan pepper oil.
  • Thick enough to stay on.
中文
  • 九月一日，东京。处暑第十天。
  • 旧历管今天叫二百十日，说是刮风的日子。风铃一天没响。
  • 三十一度，阴着，还是发了高温警报。明天三十三。
  • 不想开火。也不想再来一样酸的，这个月酸得够多了。
  • 芝麻酱用面汤兑开，黄瓜切丝，花椒油一滴。
  • 稠得挂得住。