Question 1

If you walk under a ladder it is bad luck. If you break a mirror you will have bad luck for ten years. The ladder origin is about 5,000 years old and is from Egypt. A ladder forms a triangle when leaning against a wall. In ancient Egypt, a triangle is a sacred shape. You are not supposed to walk through it. In Hindu culture, a mirror is said to hold one's soul. If you break it you have damaged your soul.

Question 2

I have a raccoon stuffed animal that my mother gave me for my 12th birthday the day before she died. I have had it now for over 34 years. His name is Jimmy. I think my mum bought him for me because my eldest brother is named James.

Question 3

When I was a child my friends used to say "If you step on a line, you will break your father's spine. If you step on a crack you will break your mother's back". We used to say this walking down the sidewalk.

Question 4

I would never purposely kill a spider. The number four has no superstition in my culture. I would never pass food between chopsticks. I will always go to the shrine for new years. Don't know about the "show your thumbs when a hearse passes one". I'm already married. I got married on 10/10/10. There might be some superstition to that? I'm sure that I've stepped on the threshold of many shrines. I at least always walk through the torii gate.

Question 5

Not really. I think superstitious people believe in ghosts, aliens, astrology and other weird things. I have no belief in that stuff whatsoever.

Question 6

I don't think Japanese people are more superstitious than other people. My wife isn't superstitious at all.

Tough Vocabulary

Question 1

Many people consider the number 13 to be unlucky. I am not completely sure where this comes from but I heard that it might have begun in Scandinavia.

Question 2

I have a lucky coin that I keep at home. But when I seriously think about it, there is nothing special about it and I just like to believe that it is lucky.

Question 3

In Mexico when the clock strikes 12 on New Year's Eve, you should eat 12 grapes in rapid succession. This is to ensure the coming year will be lucky.

Question 4

I am ok to buy a house with the number 4 in the address, get married on Butsumetsu, and I have probably/accidentally stepped on the threshold of a temple or shrine. However, I won't pass food between chopsticks and not go to Hatusmode (my wife forces me to go).

Question 5

No, I am not a superstitious person although I am sure there are parts of my culture that started out as superstitions but then the meaning became lost and it became something for everyone to do.

Question 6

I do not think this current generation in Japan is superstitious but I think the older generations are much more so. The most superstitious places that I have visited are Mexico and Romania.

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
rapid	迅速
succession	継承
ensure	確保する

Question 1

Uh... finding a redback in your bed? Actually, I guess not finding it would be worse... Not a superstition so much as just very unlucky.

Question 2

I carry a talisman I got from Miwa-jinja with me everywhere I go. It's supposed to grant good health to the one carrying it. I also have a happiness charm on my keyring that my sister gave me. Apparently, it's a recreation of a magic charm from the Book of Solomon. It also looks cool.

Question 3

During an appearance on a TV talk show, Heidi Klum admitted that she keeps a bag of her own baby teeth with her at all times. She went on to say "I don't know if it's good luck, it's just a crazy thing that I do." That's pretty weird.

Question 4

If I'm aware that performing a certain action is supposed to bring bad luck in one form or another, then I don't do it. I don't trim my nails at night and I usually don't whistle at night either. If I'm going somewhere and a black cat crosses my path, I'll turn around and find another route.

Question 5

Yes, I do. I kind of have this theory that if you're thinking really hard about a decision you have to make and you're finding it hard to choose one way or the other, then the universe will send you a sign. Objectively, it's no crazier than praying to this god or that one to ask for help and guidance.

Question 6

No, I don't think Japanese people are more or less superstitious than people from other countries. They are just superstitious in different ways to the ones I grew up hearing about. I think Japanese people are maybe more honest about their supersitions, though. I think in the modern day there is a stigma around being superstitious in western countries. Even so, it's socially acceptable to carry around crystals and regularly consult with a psychic. Go figure.

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
a redback	セアカゴケグモ
a talisman	お守り
in one form or another	何らかの形で
find another route	別のルートを見つける
have a theory	理論がある
find it hard to choose	選ぶのが難しい
one way or the other	いずれかの方法
pray to god	神に祈る
this one or that one	これかあの
a stigma	汚名
socially acceptable	社会的に受け入れられる
go figure	図を行く