Culture & History

Japanese Superstitions: Numbers, Gifts and Daily Beliefs

By JAPN Published · Updated

Japanese Superstitions: Numbers, Gifts and Daily Beliefs

Numbers and Gifts

The number four (shi) is unlucky because it sounds identical to the word for death (shi). Many buildings skip the fourth floor, and gifts avoid sets of four. Nine (ku) sounds like suffering (ku) and is similarly avoided. Hospital rooms, hotel floors, and apartment numbers frequently skip both four and nine. Conversely, eight (hachi) is lucky for its widening shape suggesting expanding prosperity. Gift-giving taboos include potted plants for hospital patients (suggesting putting down roots / permanent illness) and sharp objects like knives at weddings (suggesting cutting the relationship).

Stepping on the threshold of a door is unlucky, possibly because thresholds were associated with the boundary between worlds. Sleeping with your head pointing north (kita-makura) mimics the position of a corpse at a funeral. Whistling at night is said to summon snakes. Cutting fingernails at night brings bad luck. Breaking a comb is an ill omen. While modern Japanese people treat many of these as old superstitions rather than serious beliefs, awareness of them prevents awkward situations, especially with older generations.

Lucky Charms

Maneki-neko beckoning cats in shop windows invite customers and prosperity. Daruma dolls, painted with one eye when making a wish and the second when the wish is granted, sit in homes and offices. Omamori protective charms from shrines cover specific purposes from traffic safety to exam success.

Numbers, Animals and Daily Life

The number four (shi) sounds identical to the word for death, leading to its avoidance in hospital room numbers, hotel floors, and gift sets. Many buildings skip the fourth floor entirely, jumping from 3F to 5F. Nine (ku) sounds like suffering, reinforcing avoidance. Gift-giving avoids sets of four and nine. The number eight (hachi) is considered lucky because the kanji widens at the bottom, suggesting expanding prosperity. Conversely, funeral-related taboos pervade daily life: never stick chopsticks upright in rice (resembles incense at funerals), never pass food between chopsticks (mimics the bone-transfer cremation ritual), and never sleep with your head pointing north (the direction bodies are positioned for burial). Black cats, unlike in Western superstition, are considered good luck in Japan. Blood type personality theory, where A-types are organized, B-types are creative, O-types are confident, and AB-types are eccentric, pervades Japanese culture despite no scientific basis.

The concept of yakudoshi (unlucky years) holds that certain ages bring particular vulnerability: 25 and 42 for men, 19 and 33 for women. The year before (maeyaku) and after (atoyaku) are also considered dangerous periods. During yakudoshi, visits to shrines for special prayers and the wearing of protective amulets increase significantly. Many Japanese take yakudoshi seriously enough to delay major decisions or take extra precautions during these years, reflecting how traditional beliefs coexist with modern rational life.

Gift-Giving Taboos

The number four (shi) is so deeply avoided that hospitals frequently skip room number 4, buildings omit the fourth floor in elevator numbering, and sets of dishes are sold in groups of three or five rather than four. The word shi is homophonous with the word for death. Similarly, nine (ku) sounds like suffering (kurou). At weddings, gifts divisible by two are avoided because they suggest the couple can be split. Amounts of 40,000 or 90,000 yen for goshugi (wedding money) are unthinkable.

Gift taboos extend to objects: giving a comb (kushi) is considered bad luck because ku-shi combines the readings for suffering and death. White flowers, particularly chrysanthemums, are associated with funerals and should never be given as housewarming or get-well gifts. Potted plants for hospital patients imply that the illness will take root. Sharp objects like knives or scissors suggest cutting ties and are avoided for wedding gifts unless the recipient specifically requests them. Wrapping paper colors matter: red and white for celebrations, black and white for funerals, with the paper folded in specific directions depending on whether the occasion is joyous or mournful.

This content is for informational purposes only and reflects independent research. Details may change — verify current information before making travel plans.