JAPANESE SUPERSTITIONS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 24 January 1914, Page 2

JAPANESE SUPERSTITIONS

At a meeting of the Japan Society in London a few weeks ago Dr W. !<• HiWbnrgh, a member of the coun"m. read,,», paper entitled ' 'Japanese Popular Magic, connected with Agriculture and v Trade." Dr Hildburgh detailed i'the "numerous charms used, and customs practised by the Japanese in connection with the weather, for; protecting crops, for securing prosperity in trade, and for obtaining immunity from fire and thieves. With ssn Tnwwiitatitm rods were planted in" the grouiid for the protection of the property and to draw destruction down upon anybody who] should, attempt. to\ take wrongful possession of it. A charm written on a] piece of, paper where a wild animal j might Hpassvwasconsidered likely to, turn into a^piece of string and catch' the animal. A wheel of cardboard! and strap's with suspended figures was thought to bring prosperity and avert! evil. Windbells hunt; outside houses were believed to exercise a demondispelling effeot. Images of foxes were held to bring good luck if exchanged with a pair brought home from a temple. "The "invitation cat" so called, with one paw up, was set up in a shop to beckon customers —, the idea no doubt being based upon the known readiness of a cat to make friends with strangers. Packets of dirt were sold outside certain, temples to sprinkle at the door of a shop,! the suggestion being that the ©oil | touched by worshippers would lead the devotee from the temple to the place of trade. To avoid litigation persons \vere recommended to bathe at twilight on the fourth day of the fourth! month.