Okinawan Superstitions

[Trail]

I am curious to hear the local superstitions. My husband seems to believe in the one that if you clip your nails after sunset, you are inviting bad spirits into your home. He read it in a paper or heard it some where on island. That counts for other nails besides his own. (Mine, the dogs...) :thumbdown:

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

That's a Japanese superstition.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2209.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_superstitions

[Bones]

As posted by eelecurb:

That's a Japanese superstition.

Dude!:army:

If you keep on posting like this, and if people keep reading your posts, it may well mean the end of "Reality TV Shows".

Perhaps, that may not be a bad thing.:scratchchin:

[P_chan]

I can't remember any of the top of my head. I know of the one where you're supposed to throw salt over shoulder before you step though the doorway once returning from a funeral. It's to keep any ghosts from following you home. But I think that's Japanese.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

I highly doubt tv writers have my skills...;)

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

There are the obvious ones, such as shisa and ishiganto protecting against evil spirits, and it being bad manners to point at a tomb.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

If the deigo flower is blooming in abundance, a typhoon is coming. Don't sleep with your head facing west. Children who are sick frequently have lost their spirit somewhere.

[P_chan]

I heard that if you see a bunch of tombo it means a typhoon or storm is coming. Which they do tend to be more active before a big storm.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

Seen a lot of dragonflies lately...

[DJ Tak]

Do not whistle at night.

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

Do not whistle at night.
Japanese. See post #2. Check the links.

[billhilly]

Keep a small bowl of salt and glass of water on the kitchen window sill. Just salt for all the other sills. When I go on my fishing outings, a part of the first beer goes to the ocean. Salt pack and hanging charms in the cars. Salt pelted at me when we come home from cleaning the graves. I'm going to get high blood pressure from all this superstition.

[Oki alumni]

That's a Japanese superstition.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2209.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_superstitions

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrk. I'm a cow who's laid out like a body for a funeral! Why didn't someone TELL me these things before NOW???

Wife says that dreaming about losing a tooth or teeth presages bad luck. Try NOT to dream about this tonight!!!!!!!!!!

-Oki Alumni:old:

[JaneP]

Isn't there a superstition about wearing socks to bed in Japan? Don't remember exactly, just my step-mother yelling at me about it.

[P_chan]

I don't understand why anybody would wear socks to bed.

[DougP]

I don't understand why anybody would wear socks to bed.

Upstate New York in January, that's all I have to say.

[P_chan]

I lived though over 20 winters in chicago and I still never wear socks to bed. I wore them around the house in the winter, but not to bed. I hate having sweaty feet while I sleep.

[DougP]

I lived though over 20 winters in chicago and I still never wear socks to bed. I wore them around the house in the winter, but not to bed. I hate having sweaty feet while I sleep.

Well, I'm a pussy when it comes to cold weather. I grew up in Florida and I was just coming off of a trip to Guam when I went to New York sooo.... yeah, I wore socks to bed. I'm not ashamed.:)

[P_chan]

Well, I'm a pussy when it comes to cold weather. I grew up in Florida and I was just coming off of a trip to Guam when I went to New York sooo.... yeah, I wore socks to bed. I'm not ashamed.:)

IDK, guess I can put up with cold feet over sweaty feet. I prefer to sleep in the cold, I hate sweating while I sleep. It keeps me up all night!

[Fire4Effect]

What's the big deal? Okinawans are Japanese.

[Bones]

As posted by Fire4Effect:

What's the big deal? Okinawans are Japanese.

No they are not, and I'm almost certain that you will be corrected shortly. I'll leave that up to the researchers on this forum.:cool:

Bones

[dk]

Well, they are Japanese, at least as far as their passports go, right?...

But yeah, the people of this island have tried to keep their cultural independence, it seems to me.

Claiming that Okinawans aren't Japanese sounds a lot like West Virginia people claiming to not be American (U.S.A).

[OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand]

West Virginy, as part of the Appalachian region, is full of Christian separatists...be part of the revolution!

http://www.exilemm.com/e21-prophecy.shtml

[P_chan]

What's the big deal? Okinawans are Japanese.

Their nationality is japanese, but their ethnicity is different. Not to mention their culture! Remember what I said about thinking before you speak?

[Trail]

Okinawans and Main-landers are like apples and oranges. They are Japanese none the less but have two VERY different cultures!

[vvloc]

Remember what I said about thinking before you speak?

Relax, P:

This one has an exceedingly short memory, BUT he will be just a memory on or about Thanksgiving - something truly worth remembering and celebrating.

[Isaak Brodsky]

...don't urinate in the shower. it pisses off the gods of the drain.

[P_chan]

...don't urinate in the shower. it pisses off the gods of the drain.

The drain gods must HATE me:scared:

[Oki alumni]

...don't urinate in the shower. it pisses off the gods of the drain.

that...that...tha's just WRONG...un sanny terry tew! ;)

-Oki Alumni:old: (Just joshing!)

[Jazz]

Everytime my wife is in view of a tomb, she hides fer thumbs. Something about the spirits taking your thumbs if they're seen maybe?

She also of course always check the calendar to plan special events on "lucky" days.

I also have my own personal superstition. When I see a Gajimaru(sp) tree, I thank Kijimuna for being such a cool looking little creature, or I at least just say something like "hey, how's it going?". Also, if my wife's with me I ask her what she's doing out of her tree. She looks allot like Kijimuna! I've noticed allot of Okinawan's look like Kijimuna......