Several Unlucky Years in Life in Japan

In Japan, it is customary to visit shrines and temples on New Year’s Day. At those shrines and temples, there is a piece of paper that tells people what age is a bad year, and people look at it to see if they are.

What is an unlucky year?

There is an unlucky year called “yaku doshi” in Japan. Yaku doshi is a year to be more modest than usual. The word “yaku” has the meaning of misfortune or calamity, and the idea is to spend the year more carefully than usual in order to avoid it.

The history of an unlucky year is long, dating back to the Heian period (794-1185), and has continued for over 1000 years. The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu, also contains a description of an unlucky year, and people in Japan have been aware of it for a long time.

When is an unlucky year?

The year of a bad luck is the year when a man turns 25, 42, or 61 years old, and a woman turns 19, 33, 37, or 61 years old, and the year before that is called the previous bad luck year “Mae yaku”, and the year after that is called the latter bad luck year “Ato yaku”. Of these, 42 years old for men and 33 years old for women are called the “big bad years” (Tai yaku) and require special attention.

It is said that many people undergo changes and life transitions during the unlucky years, and are prone to unexpected calamities, as well as increased physical and mental restlessness.

What to do to ward off bad luck

If you are in a unlucky year, you should go to a shrine or a temple to pray for exorcism before Setsubun, which is also the New Year in the lunar calendar. Many temples and shrines accept prayers, so it is best to check in advance to be sure.
Also, it is said that it is preferable for both men and women to wear clothes that are not too revealing and glittery when praying, so please be careful.

Since the year of bad luck begins on January 1st, it is recommended to pay a visit to the shrine on the first day of the New Year to exorcise bad luck and ward off bad luck.