Raking leaves? You might be missing a treat

Autumn leaves are a beauty — and a chore to rake — in autumn, but in Japan’s city of Minoh, they are also a snack.

According to legend, around 1,300 years ago, a traveler to the Minoo Taki waterfall in Osaka’s Hokusetsu region was so enamored of the beauty of autumn maple leaves that naturally, he decided to fry them. Thus, a new treat was born.

Maple leaves are picked from the tree, soaked in salt water for a year, then coated with a tempura batter, sesame seeds, and sugar before they’re fried in oil.

The first maple leaf store opened in 1910 in Minoh, 10 miles north of Osaka.