#for context 4 is an unlucky number in a large number of asian countries

[icarusbetide]

someone reblogged my jefferson birthday post with "he was born on 4 fucking 13??" and i was confused why that mattered until i realized that it means that thomas jefferson was born on 4/13 aka theee unlucky numbers, and that's somehow fitting.

#for context 4 is an unlucky number in a large number of asian countries #some elevators don't have the 4th floor just like some don't have the 13th floor #it's just funny to me #didn't realize it even as i made his birthday post #thomas jefferson #thomas jeffershit #amrev

[shinshikesesese]

Hello! To start off your Ambassador work, can you tell us about common superstitions in your country? Thank you! (If you would like a different question, let me know)!

Hello! Well, most Japanese superstitions are from other countries, such as China, and there are quite a number of them. Some superstitions are same or similar with some superstitions from Asian countries. Many of the Japanese superstitions comes from old folk wisdom and some had changed over the years and some stayed mostly the same. 

Here are some common/well known ones:

Good superstitions

If a black cat crosses your path, it brings good luck

Tea stalk floating, sign for good luck

Use Maneki Neko (good for business, and there are different types with different meaning!)

If you see a spider in the morning it’s good luck, but not at night

Keep a shed skin of a snake in your wallet and you’ll become rich

Hang “teru-teru bozu” and tomorrow’s weather will be sunny (hung it upside down for rain”

Make 1000 paper cranes and make your wish come true

Eat Kit Kat, to win (popular among students because Kit Kat sounds like 「きっと勝」/Kitto Katsu, meaning “a sure to win”

Bad superstitions 

Unlucky number 4 (because in Japanese 4/四 is pronounced “shi” which is the same pronunciation for “death/死”

Unlucky number 9 (in Japanese 9/九 is pronounced “ku” which is the same pronunciation for “suffering/苦”

Play with fire, you’ll wet your bed

Don’t lay down straight after eating, or you’ll become fat

Whistle or play flute at night, a snake will come to you

Sleeping with your head to north, you’ll have a short life

Cutting your nails at night, you will not be at your parent’s deathbed

Breaking comb or the strap of “geta” sandals, will bring misfortune

Writing a person’s name in red ink

Hide your bellybutton when there’s a thunder, or the lightning god will steal it

Sticking chopsticks upright into rice/or any food (it means that it’s food for the deceased ones)

Passing food from chopsticks to chopsticks (only done in funeral when the deceased is being cremated and their bones are transferred to the urn)

The middle person, from a photo of three people side by side, will die earlier than the other two people

There are more bad superstitions which causes bad luck or some misfortunes. Most of them are made or are said to avoid big accidents such as playing with fire and wetting your bed. This has a meaning of don’t play with fire or there’ll be a large damage in the future, in the context it’s wetting your bed but this is to avoid fire accidents. The chopstick ones are not just considered as superstitions and if you do them in public, it is very rude so learn your chopstick manners before you visit Japan!

I hope there’s enough superstitions to get you guys started!If you have any questions feel free to message/ask meお便り待ってまーす

#aph #hetalia #aph ambassador #aph japan ambassador #ask #japanese superstition #superstition #hetaliafandomhub