Superstitions in Japan

In Japan, many things are considered to bring good or bad luck. Superstitions are strongly entrenched in Japanese society, and some of them are meant to teach lessons or serve as practical advice. Here is a list of 6 superstitions in Japan you must know! Do you believe in superstitions such as these?

1) Numbers 4 and 9 are considered to be unlucky numbers because 4 in Japanese is sometimes pronounced as "shi", which means "death", while 9 is sometimes pronounced "ku", which means "suffering". In the US, some old buildings do not have a 13th floor, while in Japan, hospitals and hotels don't have a 4th floor.

2) Something related to night, is that you shouldn't cut your nails at night. Because if you do that, you won't be able to be with your parents when they die. One of the main reasons would be that cutting your nails at night may result in your death, so you won't be able to see your parents die.

3) Speaking of night, another superstition that's related to night is whistling in the night. If you whistle at night, a snake could come out. There are some poisonous snakes in Japan, so you don't want them to come out.. Whistling is also known to have been used as a sign by criminals to communicate with each other. It's better to avoid them too.

4) There is a lucky cat symbol called "maneki neko". It is [often] a white or golden cat with one paw held up. They often have these in shops or where business is done because it is supposed to bring good fortune. Maneki neko can also bring luck to romance, studies and health.

5) Japanese people do not sleep facing north. Someone sleeping face north might recieve bad luck, or it could be even worse, as death is known to welcome whoever sleeps facing north.

6) There are some animal-related superstitions as well. A black cat is considered to be bad luck nowadays, but this has been imported from the west. So if people see a black cat, they will stop and wait to see which way it goes so they don't cross its path. Having a spider inside your house at night is bad luck, but if you see it in the morning, it's good luck.