According to a Japanese proverb, your first dream of the year is filled with portent
一富士二鷹三茄子, Ichi Fuji, Ni Taka, San Nasubi
First, Mount Fuji
Second, Hawks
Third, Eggplants
This proverb implies that when these three things — Mount Fuji, hawks, and eggplants — appear in one’s first dream of the year, 初夢 hatsuyume, they foretell a year of good fortune. Mount Fuji augurs the best fortune, then hawks, then eggplants.
Like many things Japanese, at first glance, this proverb seems inexplicable. To gain understanding, one must look into it a bit to get a grasp of how these things are connected and why Mount Fuji, hawks, and eggplants (of all things!) are auspicious.
Theories as to why
Our first theory relates to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo era (1603–1867), and Japan’s third great unifier. He hailed from Suruga, now Shizuoka Prefecture, home of the magnificent and revered, Mount Fuji. Ieyasu loved hawks and kept many which he used for hunting, and he was fond of eating the first eggplants harvested each year.
Because of being three of the mighty Shogun Tokugawa’s favorite things, these things became auspicious portents.
Our second theory relies on homonyms.
Fuji 富士, is read similarly to 不死 meaning “no death” and by extension, long life. Its reading is also similar to 無事 “without incident,” meaning peace, safety, and security.
Taka, the Japanese word for hawk, is read the same as 高, “tall, high, or lofty.”
Nasu, eggplant, is read the same as 成す, meaning “to succeed in, to accomplish.”
All these are easily wished-for outcomes for anyone’s new year.
We also must not forget that Mount Fuji has been considered sacred since ancient times, the mountain itself being a Shinto deity.
Auspicious, indeed.
When to dream
Just so you know when to dream of eggplants, the first dream of the year is considered to occur on the night of January first, or back in the old days before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in the late 19th century, the night of Setsubun, the day preceding the first day of spring.
But what if your first dream of the New Year is a nightmare?
Don’t worry, there’s a solution.
Upon awakening, draw a picture of the Treasure Ship bearing the Seven Lucky Gods, and set it adrift upon a stream. The image will drift away, carrying your bad fortune with it.
References:
https://jpnculture.net/hatsuyume/, https://kotowaza-dictionary.jp/k0964/, https://boxil.jp/beyond/a5493/
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