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Entertainment • Video Game

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon is the English title originally used for the Japanese farming simulation role-playing game series *Bokujō Monogatari*.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Harvest Moon is the English title originally used for the Japanese farming simulation role-playing game series *Bokujō Monogatari*. The series began with the 1996 Super Famicom/SNES game *Harvest Moon* and later became known internationally as *Story of Seasons* after the western publishing split. Natsume also continued to use the *Harvest Moon* name for its own separate farming game series beginning in 2014.

Origins

The series originated in Japan under the title *Bokujō Monogatari*. It was introduced in English as *Harvest Moon* when localized by Natsume, with the first game released in 1996.

Gameplay

Core entries center on restoring and managing a farm, planting and harvesting crops, caring for livestock, and interacting with villagers. Many games also include marriage and family-building systems.

Name split and legacy

After the international publishing arrangement changed, the original series began appearing outside Japan as *Story of Seasons*. Natsume retained the *Harvest Moon* name for a separate line of farming games.

Cultural impact

*Harvest Moon* is often cited as an early and influential farm-life simulation series. Its style helped define the modern cozy farming game genre.

Key facts

  • The franchise began in Japan as *Bokujō Monogatari* and was localized in English as *Harvest Moon*.
  • The first game, *Harvest Moon*, released in 1996 for the Super Famicom/SNES.
  • The series focuses on managing a farm, growing crops, raising animals, and building relationships with townspeople.
  • After the publishing rights split, the main Japanese series was localized internationally as *Story of Seasons*.
  • Natsume continued to publish its own unrelated games under the *Harvest Moon* title from 2014 onward.
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Canadian context

The series has been widely available in Canada through North American releases and helped popularize farming simulation games among Canadian players.

Frequently asked questions

What is Harvest Moon?
It is the English title originally used for the Japanese farming simulation series *Bokujō Monogatari*.
When did Harvest Moon first release?
The first game released in 1996 for the Super Famicom/SNES.
Is Harvest Moon the same as Story of Seasons?
The original Japanese series is the same lineage, but after a publishing split it became *Story of Seasons* outside Japan.
Who created Harvest Moon?
The series is commonly credited to Yasuhiro Wada.
Why are there two Harvest Moon series now?
Natsume kept the *Harvest Moon* name for a separate farming game series after the original series moved to the *Story of Seasons* title internationally.
What kind of game is Harvest Moon?
It is a farming simulation role-playing game series.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_of_Seasons
    Supports: Original series title, creator, genre, and the international name change to Story of Seasons
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_Moon_(video_game)
    Supports: First game release details, genre, and franchise origin
  3. Wikipedia Bahasa Melayu — https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_Moon_(siri_permainan_video)
    Supports: Japanese title Bokujō Monogatari and English localized name Harvest Moon
  4. Wikipedia — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_Moon_(serie_de_videojuegos)
    Supports: Series overview, gameplay themes, and first-game release context
  5. Siliconera — https://www.siliconera.com/how-to-play-all-harvest-moon-and-story-of-seasons-games-in-order/
    Supports: Explanation of the publishing split and Natsume's separate Harvest Moon series