Like the Taiwanese and Hong Kongers, the Japanese also associate the cardinal directions with luck. For example, it is important to them whether the front door faces north or south.
Some people also consider the best direction to travel in.
It is no longer common to worry about the direction of travel, except for those who like fortune-telling, but a thousand years ago it was common practice.
This is due to the concept of Onmyodo.
Onmyodo is a system of astronomy, calendars, and divination that originated in ancient Chinese philosophy of yin-yang and the five elements and was brought to Japan 1,600 years ago.
When a civil servant has to go on a business trip, he first determines whether the direction of travel is favorable or unfavorable. If the direction is unfavorable, he will first go in the direction of good fortune. From there, he would then go to his actual destination. He stays overnight at the home of a friend or relative at this stopover.
This custom is also a popular theme in classical Japanese literature.
It was probably wise to avoid the robbers who awaited them along the way, but it is also interesting to determine the route through divination.
At the end of each year, Japanese bookstores sell many books on fortune telling. Some books also indicate which direction to travel in for good luck.
Not all Japanese people will follow this advice, but it is a good tip for choosing a travel destination.
Tarot and astrology, which are widespread in Europe, are also popular in Japan. In addition, oriental divination techniques are also well known in Japan, and there are a number of specialists in divination. For more than a thousand years, the Japanese have loved divination, and although they sometimes doubt it, it has not died out.
Many fortune tellers only speak Japanese. If you wish, you can use an interpreter. Discretion is a matter of course.
Fortune tellers themselves often say that fortune telling is just fortune telling. Lucky destinations are no different. If you believe that going there will make you happy, that’s fine. Fortune telling serves to calm the mind.
If you would like to experience fortune telling in Japan, please contact my small travel agency.