17 Interesting Japanese Superstitions and Beliefs – Evergreen Article

Japanese culture is rich with superstitions that have been passed down through generations, influencing daily life and interactions. These beliefs, though sometimes irrational, offer a fascinating glimpse into the country's history and cultural psyche.

Unlucky Numbers and Their Impact

In Japan, certain numbers are considered unlucky due to their homophones with words for death and suffering. The number 4 is particularly significant because its pronunciation, shi, is the same as the word for death. This superstition is so strong that many buildings, especially hospitals and hotels, do not have a fourth floor or room number 4. In maternity wards, room number 43 is avoided because it can be pronounced shizan, meaning stillbirth.

Similarly, the number 9 is sometimes pronounced ku, which is the same as the word for pain or suffering. This has led to the avoidance of the number 9 in various contexts, such as gift-giving, where items are often presented in sets of three or five to avoid the unlucky connotations.

Daily Life Superstitions

Sleeping and Eating Habits

• Sleeping Direction: Placing a pillow to the north is considered bad luck because it is the direction in which the head of a deceased person is laid during funerals. This practice is known as kita makura and is believed to shorten one's life.
• Eating and Sleeping: Immediately lying down after eating is discouraged, as it is believed to turn you into a cow, pig, or elephant. This superstition aims to promote good manners and avoid laziness.

Personal Grooming

• Cutting Nails at Night: Cutting one's nails at night is believed to lead to forgetting one's parents' deathbed. The pronunciation of "night" and "world" can be the same, suggesting that cutting nails at night shortens one's life span.

Clothing and Accessories

• Sleeping with Socks On: Wearing socks to bed is considered bad luck because it is associated with the death garment. In Japan, the dead are dressed in white clothing, including white tabi socks, which is why sleeping with socks on is seen as bringing misfortune.

Weather and Nature Superstitions

Predicting Weather

• Cat Washing Its Face: If a cat washes its face, it is believed that it will rain the next day. This superstition may be linked to cats sensing moisture in the air.
• Swallow Flying Low: When swallows fly lower, it is believed that it will rain the next day. Swallows tend to fly low to catch bugs before a rainy day.
• Cherry Blossom Color: If cherry blossoms bloom with a light color, it is believed that winter will last longer that year. This superstition is rooted in observations of nature and its influence on agricultural cycles.

Agricultural and Seasonal Beliefs

• Heavy Snow and Harvest: Heavy snow in winter is believed to bring a big harvest in the following autumn. This superstition reflects Japan's historical reliance on agriculture and the importance of predicting seasonal changes.

Animals and Omens

Cats and Good Luck

• Black Cat Crossing: Unlike in many Western cultures, a black cat crossing one's path is considered to bring good luck in Japan.

Other Animal Omens

• Breaking a Comb or Geta Strap: Breaking a comb or the cloth strap of a geta wooden sandal is an omen of misfortune.
• Hiding Thumbs When Seeing a Hearse: When a funeral hearse drives past, one must hide one's thumbs in a closed fist. The Japanese word for "thumb" translates as "parent-finger," and hiding the thumb is believed to protect one's parents.

Food and Drink Superstitions

Tea and Its Significance

• Drinking Tea Left Overnight: Drinking tea that has been left overnight is believed to cause health problems due to the spoilage of tannins. This superstition originated before the use of refrigerators.
• Tea Leaf Standing Upright: If a tea leaf stands upright in a tea cup, it is believed to be a sign of good fortune. This is a rare occurrence and thus considered auspicious.

New Year and Cleaning Superstitions

New Year's Day Cleaning

• Avoiding Cleaning on New Year's Day: Cleaning the house on New Year's Day is considered bad luck because it is believed to push away the gods and goddesses that are welcomed into the home during this sacred day.

Miscellaneous Superstitions

Sneezing and Conversations

• Sneezing and Being Talked About: When you sneeze, it is believed that someone is talking about you. Two sneezes mean someone is saying something bad, and three sneezes in a row mean someone has fallen in love with you.

Vinegar and Flexibility

• Drinking Vinegar for Flexibility: Drinking vinegar is believed to make the body more flexible, although there is no scientific proof for this claim.

Loquat Trees and Illness

• Planting Loquat Trees: Planting loquat trees in a home garden is believed to bring illness. This superstition may have originated from the historical use of loquat leaves in medicines, associating the tree with sickness.

These superstitions and beliefs are deeply ingrained in Japanese culture, reflecting a complex interplay of historical, linguistic, and social factors that continue to influence daily life in Japan.