厄年(やくどし)

やくどし
noun
unlucky year, climacteric year
culture
1. unlucky year, year of calamity
Specific ages believed to bring bad luck or misfortune in Japanese tradition.
今年(ことし)は厄年(やくどし)だ。
This year is my unlucky year.
厄年(やくどし)の厄払(やくばら)いをする。
To have a purification ceremony for the unlucky year.
厄年(やくどし)には本厄(ほんやく)の前後(ぜんご)に前厄(まえやく)・後厄(あとやく)があり、三年間(さんねんかん)続(つづ)けて厄払(やくばら)いをする人(ひと)も多(おお)い。
In the unlucky year, there are pre-unlucky and post-unlucky years surrounding the main unlucky year, and many people do purification rites for three consecutive years.

厄年(やくどし) is a deeply rooted Japanese folk belief that certain ages are unlucky and bring heightened risk of misfortune, illness, or disaster.

UNLUCKY AGES (counted by 数(かぞ)え年(どし), traditional age counting):

  • Men: 25, 42 (大厄(たいやく) — the most dangerous), 61
  • Women: 19, 33 (大厄(たいやく) — the most dangerous), 37, 61

The year before (前厄(まえやく)) and after (後厄(あとやく)) are also considered risky.

Common expressions

Cultural note

Many Japanese visit shrines or temples for 厄払(やくばら)い ceremonies during January or February of their 厄年(やくどし). Even people who are not particularly religious often observe this custom. The number 42 (四十二(よんじゅうに)) is especially feared because it sounds like 死(し)に (death).

Related Words

Related: 厄払(やくばら)い (purification ritual)
Related: 数(かぞ)え年(どし) (traditional age count)
Compare: 本厄(ほんやく) (main unlucky year)
Compare: 前厄(まえやく) (year before an unlucky year)
Compare: 後厄(あとやく) (year after an unlucky year)
general
Added 2026.1.16 17:49 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
05500/05809_yakudoshi