Yakudoshi.info — what-is-yakudoshi

Yakudoshi.info is your comprehensive English-language guide to yakudoshi, the Japanese tradition of calamitous or unlucky years. Learn which ages are considered yakudoshi, how to calculate your yakudoshi year by birth year, what to do to ward off bad luck, and how this ancient tradition is still observed in modern Japan.

What is Yakudoshi?

Explore our collection of articles and guides about what is yakudoshi?.

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Yakudoshi by Birth Year

Find out if your birth year falls in a yakudoshi period and what it means for your age and life stage.

Traditions & Rituals

Explore the traditional ceremonies, offerings, and rituals practiced to ward off the misfortune of yakudoshi years.

Men's Yakudoshi

A deep dive into the yakudoshi ages specific to men — ages 25, 42, and 61 — and what they mean culturally and spiritually.

Women's Yakudoshi

Explore the yakudoshi ages for women — ages 19, 33, and 37 — their origins, significance, and how women observe them today.

Shrines & Purification

Learn about yakuyoke shrine visits, purification (harae) ceremonies, and which shrines in Japan are famous for yakudoshi blessings.

Yakudoshi in Modern Life

How yakudoshi traditions are observed today — from urban Japan to the Japanese diaspora — and what modern people think about unlucky years.