Welcome inside Japan. This week we are taking a look at what Tsukimi means, its imagery, the role of the moon in Japanese culture, the history of the tradition, and the modern day incarnations. The characters literally mean moon viewing. These characters are also used for a traditional, mid-autumn festival, celebrated by several Asian countries. The closest equivalent in the west is the Atomno-Li-Kwanauks, which isn't much of a holiday. This year the event is observed today, September 24. In the west many people have heard the phrase the man in the moon. But to many Asian people, the shapes of the craters of the moon resemble a rabbit pounding rice into rice cakes. During the Hian period, Japanese aristocrats would hold events on boats so as to enjoy the full moon and its reflection on the water. Most Japanese citizens don't throw harvest moon parties, but many families may put out a small display where the moon can be viewed. This display consists of offerings from the fall harvest. These include sweet potatoes, beans, chestnuts, wild grain, and Tsukimi dumplings made to resemble the moon. Many families with school-age children may enjoy these simple sweets while looking at the full moon. Another food dish called Tsukimi Soba is simply a soba noodle dish which is served with raw egg yolk, which looks a bit like the moon, and is enjoyed year round by some. And finally, every September, a variety of fast food restaurants offered Tsukimi sandwiches. Only these are simply burgers with a fried egg added as a topping. This year we searched for the best of these offerings. McDonald's is currently offering four burgers, the Tsukimi burger, a burger with cheese, one with three patties, and the newest gold burger which has a uniquely soft bun with a rich buttery taste, and a thicker slice of melty cheese. All topped with a fried egg, creamy sauce, and smoked bacon. There's also a morning menu option. KFC is offering a chicken filet sandwich topped with a half-cooked egg with lettuce and mayonnaise. The other offering is a Japanese chicken cutlet with cabbage instead of lettuce. And finally, Loteria is promoting two premium Teriyaki Tsukimi burgers, one with a half-cooked egg and one without. Now let's take a look at how these offerings stacked up. Let's start with expectations. I'm not a huge fan of fried eggs as a burger topping, but I was committed to do my best to offer a fair and unbiased evaluation. I expected to enjoy the KFC the best, and I didn't expect much from Loteria. In the end, the offerings from McDonald's and KFC didn't leave much of an impression, but I really enjoyed the premium Teriyaki burger and the sweet potato pie from Loteria, which surprised me as my first visit several years ago didn't inspire me to return. As for Marco, he felt that the sandwiches themselves were fine, but the egg didn't really do much for him, and the money could be spent better elsewhere. Thanks for joining us today. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to add them below. This has been Inside Japan.