1 Kita Makura (North Pillow) Buddhist funerals use north facing pillows, so make sure yours faces a diff erent direction!


2 Nighttime Nail Clipping Avoid this to keep your parents alive!


3 Stabbing Chopsticks This practice is used for funerals, so always rest your chopsticks on the dashiki or horizontally across the food bowl.


4 Numbers 4 & 9 The number four is read as shi, which also means death; and nine is ku, the word for suff ering. Japanese hospitals and other buildings often avoid using both numbers.


5 Moonlight Whistling Night time whistling is said to attract bad guys.


6 Broken Geta Sandal Invest in quality shoes if you don’t want broken sandals and bad luck!


7 Night Spiders Spiders seen in the morning are auspicious, while their nighttime brethren are considered unwanted.


8 Exposed Belly Buttons According to folklore, cover your belly button on a thunderous night or you may awaken to it being stolen by the thunder god.


by Sarah Harper


St. Patrick's Day and the luck of the Irish go hand in hand. Americans avoid black cats, broken mirrors, and walking under ladders to stay lucky, but what about our host nation? Here are the top ten Japanese superstitions about luck.


20 | CWC: Ten Ways to Prevent Bad Luck in Japan


9 Skip Your Birthday Certain birth years are unlucky. For men, years 25, 42, and 61 are super bad luck; for women, it's 19, 33, and 37.


10 Pointing Fingers Avoid pointing your index or thumb in the direction of a hearse to protect your parents from being next.


Airman & Family Readiness Center | 21


Saturday, 21 March


Give Parents a Break


Noon - 4 p.m. Get a referral from your First Shirt, chaplain, medical professional, or Airman & Family Readiness Center representative. Please contact the Yoiko Child Development Center by Monday, 16 March to reserve your child's spot.


Thursday, 12 & 19 March 5 - 8:30 p.m. A&FRC Classroom


Key Thursday, 2 April


Spouse Meeting


5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Learn about diff erent travel resources available to base residents, how to successfully travel with children, where to go in Japan and Asia, and how to navigate the Patriot Express process.


Key Spouse Initial Training


AIRMAN & FAMILY READINESS CENTER


For more information on classes and workshops this month, or to register, call the Airman & Family Readiness Center at 226-4735.


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