(Our New Home in Kikuyo Town, Japan, 2015)
And now that the house is built and we are ready to make our move, we find out that there are a number of superstitions regarding moving in Japan. Some of these are related to 風水 Fu-sui, Feng-shui; "a philosophical system of harmonizing everyone with the surrounding environment."
風水
Apart from any mystical implications, Feng Shui may be simply understood as a traditional test of architectural goodness using a collection of metaphors. The test may be static or a simulation. Simulations may involve moving an imaginary person or organic creature, such as a dragon of a certain size and flexibility, through a floor plan to uncover awkward turns and cramped spaces before actual construction. This is entirely analogous to imagining how a wheelchair might pass through a building, and is a plausible exercise for architects, who are expected to have exceptional spatial visualization talents. A static test might try to measure comfort in architecture through a ‘hills and valleys’ metaphor. The big hill at your back is a metaphor for security, the open valley and stream represents air and light, and the circle of low hills in front represents both invitation to visitors and your control of your immediate environment. The various Feng Shui tenets represent a set of metaphors that suggest architectural qualities that the average human finds comfortable. (Wikipedia, 2015)
Traditional Japanese Calendar
other superstitions are related to the Japanese calendar which includes lucky and unlucky days to perform such things as moving into a new house or apartment and getting married. Below is an outline of the Japanese calendar adapted from wikipedia
English - Common Japanese - Traditional Japanese
January - 1月 Ichigatsu - 睦月Mutuski, Month of Affection
February - 2月 Nigatsu - 衣更着 Kinusaragi, Changing Clothes
March - 3月 Sangatsu - 弥生 Yayoi, New Life
April - 4月 Shigatsu - 卯月 Uzuki, the Month of the Utsugi flower
May - 5月 Gogatsu - 早苗月 Sanaetsuki, the Month of early rice planting
June - 6月 Rokugatsu - 水無月 Minazuki, the Month of Water
July - 7月 Shichigatsu - 文月 Fumizuki, the Month of Literature
August - 8月 Hachigatsu - 葉月 Hazuki, the Month of Leaves
September - 9月 Kugatsu - 長月 Nagatsuki, the Long Month
October - 10月 Jugatsu - 神無月 Kaminazuki, the Month of the gods
November - 11月 Juichigatsu - 霜月 Shimotsuki, the Month of Frost
December - 12月 Junigatsu - 師走 Shiwasu, Running Priests
As we can see from the traditional Japanese names for the Months of the Year, there was a very strong tie to nature and the shinto religion. Within the Japanese calendar, which is based on the Chinese calendar, there are series of lucky and unlucky days known as 六曜 Rokuyo or 六輝 Rokki because they are calculated in a series of six days. It is said that they can predict good and bad fortune according to these days and even today people plan their weddings and funerals around the Rokuyo.
(Calendar showing the Rokuyo written in black below the date)
