Japanese

"Superstitions"

In Japan, like in any other country, we have lots of superstitions and proverbs that have been passed down from generation to generation from old times. Mostly, it seems that they have a certain religious background and based on daily life, and have been widely spread thereafter. In the following, I will try to introduce you some of unique superstitions and proverbs in Japan.

Superstition -1.
"It is a sign of good luck to have a tea stalk floating straight up in your morning tea."
This superstition originates in the sales promotion of a tea shop in the Edo period to sell the lower grade tea. Even not knowing the origin, most Japanese feel happy if we find a floating tea stalk in the cup.

Superstition -2.
"If you cut your nails in the night, you will not be able to see through your parents' death."
It was described in Nihonshoki(Chronicles of Japan) that the soul lodges in our body. This superstition is based on the teaching of Confucianism, which said, to cut the part of body
at night was the beginning of an undutiful son/daughter. Accordingly people in those days thought cutting the nail without lights was risky.

Superstition -3.
"If you pull out your teeth, throw the lower teeth toward the sky and the upper teeth toward the ground."
This is a charm rather than superstition. We make a wish that new lower teeth would grow to up straight and the new upper one to take root firmly.

Proverb -1.
"Laying down after a meal, one may become a cow."
Today, most Japanese have a meal at the table in a western style, but basic Japanese style is to set the table on the tatami mat and one sit straight with bent knees. When a chair and sofa was not available in Japan, one would lay down on the tatami mat, and this was considered a bad behavior, as well as a symptom for kids who are abandoning study. This proverb is for home discipline.

Proverb-2.
In Japan, no. 4 and 9 are equivalent to No. 13 that is avoided as an unlucky number. The reason is the pronunciation of 4 equal to death and that of 9 is the same as suffering in Japanese.