| It is said that .... | ||
| 1 | To stamp upside down is a sign of renounce. | The modern postal system was started in London in 1840 and it was introduced to Japan in 1871. I don't know when this way of thinking started. According to the traditional Japanese sense of death, everything is upside down in the Anoyo (underworld after death) |
| 2 | If you cut your nails at night, you will not be able to be with your parents when they are on their deathbed. |
In old days, we didn't have the electric light,. So, this was warning not to prevent cutting fingernails or toenails too much under the dark candle light. (We Japanese has been thought that the condition we can't see our parents on their deathbed is impiety ) |
| 3 | Sleeping toward the North is inauspicious. (kita-makura/japanese) |
In Japan bodies are laid toward the North. Because when Buddha died, his head was toward the North. |
| 4 | The number 4, 9 and 42 are inauspicious. | Because the number 4 is pronounced the same as the word for death (shi)
and 9 is for pain (ku). (Hospitals sometimes use the 4th floor for the maternity ward, because pregnancy is not disease.But they sometimes skip the number 43 can be pronounced "shizan" which means still-birth.) The number 42 can be pronounced shi-ni, which means to die. |
| 5 | If catfish struggle, earthquake will break out soon. | Catfish are said to cause earthquakes. Indeed, they are sensitive to changes in the electrical currents in the earth that proceed quakes. They become very active several hours before a quake happens. |
| 6 | If you find a white snake, you are lucky. | A white snake is to be concidered a god's messenger. Please check the foot of holy old camphor tree at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya. You can see eggs for a white snake's meal though I have never seen white snake there.... |
| 7 | Plump ears bring hapiness and wealthness. | The best plump ears' shape is curved forward and a rice can be |
| 8 | When you sneeze once, somebody is saying good things about you. When you sneeze twice, somebody is speaking badly of you. When you sneeze three times, you have caught a cold. |
Really ? Here is a popular commercial song of a cold remedy. "Kushami san-kai XX san-jo"(When you sneeze three times, take three XX tablets) |
| 9 | If a funeral car passes you should hide your thum. | If not, your parent will die. A thum is named "oya-yubi" which means "finger of parent" |
| 10 | If you lie down immedeately after meals, you will become a cow | This is maybe to preach against bad manner. |
| 11 | If you have plump ears (fuku-mimi), you will be happy and become rich. | If your earlobe could hold grains, it's the best shape. Here is a typical sample of plump ears. fuku-mimi |
| 12 | A fool doesn't catch a cold. | These two ideas are mutually exclusive. However, we often use these phrases . |
| 13 | A fool catches a cold in summer. | |
| 14 | 流れ星が消えるまでに3回願い事を言うと叶う |  |
| 15 | 猫が顔を洗うと雨 | |
| 16 | 雷が鳴ったらおヘソを隠す | |
| 17 | 人前に出るとき 人という字を書いて3回飲む | |
| 18 | 雛飾りを早くしまわないと 嫁に行き遅れる | |
| 19 | A tea stalk floating upright is auspicious. | When you drink a cup of Japanese tea, watch in your tea. If you find a tea stalk floating upright, it's a sign of good luck. Don't show it anyone or good luck will leave you. |
| 20 | ツバメが低く飛ぶと雨 | |
| 21 | Hidarimae (lit. left front) | Hidarimae is the way to clothe a dead person kimono. (Wearing kimono with the right side tucked under the left) |
| 22 | 病気見舞いに鉢植えを持っていかない | |
| 23 | お嫁さんを見るとラッキー | |
| 24 | Bijin hakuimei | |
| 25 | ツバメが巣をかけると縁起がいい | |
| 26 | ばかは死ななきゃ治らない | |
| 27 | The good luck first dream of the New Year | 1: Mt. Fuji, 2: Hawk, 3: Eggplant |
| 28 | Catfish cause earthquakes | |