[The Story of Silver Grass]

Sliver grass is a poetic charm of autumn in Japan. It changes its appearance beautifully with the seasons, from green to white, silver, and golden. There are many places in Japan famous for silver grass, which further enhances the autumn scenery.

The ears of silver grass are called “尾花” because they resemble the tail of an animal, and silver grass itself has also been referred to as such since ancient times. The word “尾花” is also an ancient Japanese name for silver grass and its ears. There is also the term “尾花栗毛,” which refers to the white mane and tail hair of a horse with chestnut or horse chestnut hair. The name is derived from the comparison to the ears of silver grass in autumn, as these white hairs appear golden from a distance.

There is a famous haiku by the Edo period haiku poet Yayu Yokoi, “幽霊の 正体見たり 枯れ尾花 (Ghosts are seen for what they really are: withered tailed flowers).” It means that what one fears to be a ghost is actually withered silver grass, expressing that looking at things with fear makes them seem far removed from their true nature.

Silver grass, also called “茅” or “萱,” has long been used as a material for thatched roofs and as livestock feed. Although a member of the grass family, thatch has been used as an excellent roofing material because its stems are oily and highly water-resistant, unlike the stems of rice and wheat (straw), which repel water. There was a field of silver grass near the village that was regularly cut and called “茅場 (kayaba).” Today, many of these areas have transitioned to wooded areas.

Kayabacho in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, was also a swampy area overgrown with thatch and reeds in the early Edo period. It is said that when Ieyasu Tokugawa built Edo Castle, he had the thatch merchants from outside the Kandabashi Gate move to this area, and the name of the town was changed to “Kayabacho.”

There are also “荻” and “葦” plants of the Poaceae family that resemble silver grass. Ogi grows in wetlands and near rivers, and is characterized by its long, thin leaves and delicate, soft, white ears. Reeds are even more common near water and in wetlands, with thick, firm stems and grass that can reach 2 to 4 meters in height. Miscanthus grows in dry places such as fields and marshes, and is characterized by its plants, so the stems are concentrated at a single point. Thin thread-like “nogi” can also be seen at the tips of the awn ears.

During the season when the silver grass fields are at their best, there are many places famous for silver grass throughout Japan, including Sengokuhara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Soni Plateau in Nara Prefecture, and Tonomine Plateau in Hyogo Prefecture. In Hiraodai, located in Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, visitors can also enjoy silver grasses swaying beautifully in the autumn breeze. We hope you will visit this famous silver grass viewing spot this fall.

Hiraodai, One of Japan's Three Major Karsts
https://jp.shokunin.com/archives/52014709.html
Wakamatsu Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/wakamatsu.html

References
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ススキ
http://www.nihonbashi.gr.jp/story/kayabacho.html
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ヨシ
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/オギ
https://www.kuwanacmc.or.jp/rijichoblog/8926/
https://www.jalan.net/news/article/201785/