Japanese Superstitions – Bad luck and luck in Japan

Japan is a country full of superstitions, there are thousands, and the Japanese take them very seriously. In this article we will look at some of the Japanese superstitions, some even bizarre and meaningless to us. Japanese beliefs and superstitions are well rooted in Japan's history and culture.

There are a lot of numbers, objects, words and actions that can bring luck or bad luck. All this because Japan is influenced by Buddhism and Shintoism, which believes in thousands of gods and supernatural creatures.

We also recommend reading:

• 5円 – Goen the lucky coin
• Fukubukuro – Lucky Bags
• 6 Ways to Say Luck in Japanese
• Meaning of Gifts in Japan – What Can and Cannot?

Unlucky numbers in Japan

We cannot talk about Japanese superstitions without citing the numbers that the Japanese are so afraid of. Even elevators avoid putting the unlucky number in Japan. Let’s see some superstitions involving numbers below:

• Four – 4 – 四 – Its pronunciation SHI can sound like the word death (死) which is also shi;
• Nine – 9 – 九 – The pronunciation KU can sound like suffering, pain (苦) and even with something obscure (black – kuro);
• 43 – The shisan pronunciation is similar to the birth of the dead shizan (死産);
• Other suggestive numbers are 42 which indicates until death (死に – shini). 49 that looks like trample (敷く – shiku);
• Days 1 and 15 of the lunar calendar, you should not have sex;
• They say that in photos of 3 people, the one in the middle dies first;
• If you sob 100 times in a row, you die;
• Never eat eel with pickled “umê” (or “tempura” with watermelon);

Discover 10 Apps to Play Piano Free!

Top 10 Japanese Martial Arts + List

Unlucky Japanese Superstitions

• Piercing the food with chopsticks (chopsticks) and leaving them standing is bad luck. Why do they do this to the dead;
• To sleep with the head towards the north, attracts death, because the dead are buried with the head towards the north;
• Cutting nails at night is said to attract death too;
• Whistling and playing flutes at night attracts snakes and ghosts;
• Crossing with Ravens and Black Cats is a bad omen;
• Never pass food from your chopsticks to someone else's plate and don't keep hitting the chopsticks on the plate. This, too, is done at the funeral;
• Never write your name in red ink, it suggests that your life will be cut short soon;
• Don't leave rice on the plate, you could go blind;
• If you lie down after eating, you will become a cow;
• See a spider in the morning of luck, and in the evening of bad luck;
• If you hear thunder, you must hide your navel, otherwise the god will eat your navel;
• If a hearse passes by, hide your thumb, otherwise something bad could happen to the parents;
• You must not take pictures of the graves, for this will bring bad luck, and you will be disturbing the repose of the dead;
• If the geta (Japanese wooden shoes) breaks down the middle, it is a sign of bad luck;
• Mirror steals the soul, mirror should not be placed towards the bed;
• It brings bad luck to respond to a person who talks in his sleep.
• Debut new shoes at night of bad luck;
• Don't step on the edges of the mat, bad luck. Stretch your foot further and avoid this spot!
• If a beggar comes to your door, you must salt your doorway, otherwise you will have bad luck like financial misfortunes in your home;

Japan superstitions that are beneficial

• Eating kelp makes hair grow;
• Drinking milk swells the breast;
• Anyone who listens to classical music as a child becomes a genius;
• A piece of paper or wood hidden in clothing is good luck if it is kept close to the body at all times;
• A good omen is a bird defecating on your head;
• Blood type identifies the person's qualities;
• If the stems or tea leaves float vertically, you're in luck, but it's hard to do.
• If you find a snakeskin during a field trip, keep it in your wallet. Brings luck and fortune;
• 7 is a sacred lucky number for the Japanese, as well as many other cultures;
• if eat mochi (rice dumplings) or osechi ryori (new year's special dish) in the new year, will have longevity;
• When entering a funeral, throw salt over your shoulder, as this drives death and spirits away from you;

Hope you enjoyed the article. Thanks for the comments and shares.