As for most of the Western world the number 13 is considered unlucky, the corresponding superstition in Asia indicates the number 4. In Japan, 4 is pronounced shi, which is the same pronunciation as for “death", and because of this, superstitions related to 4 were observed since the old times. For example, even today, gifts should never be made of 4 pieces, the number 4 is rarely used to number a room, and in some high-rise buildings, 4 is skipped when numbering the floors.
But probably the most interesting superstition related to 4 is the tatami rule: it is forbidden to adjoin 4 tatami mats in one point (in such a way as to form a cross) because in that case it is believed that the house will be unlucky. And as you can see in the photo, such restriction brought up some very ingenious designs…
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Yesterday’s Japan Photo:Mount Takao, hydrangea and red lanterns |
