Junishi: Signs of the Zodiac
Many Japanese believe that a person’s character and personality are somewhat influenced by the year of their birth. Some Japanese couples even consult an astrologer to tell whether they would make a good match. Inquiring about some else’s sign in Japan is a polite way in gauging the age of a person without actually asking it outright. In Japanese culture, junishi or signs of the zodiac is knowing what life has in store for the future.
The Japanese and Chinese zodiac has 12 signs adapted from the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar or the Agricultural Calendar. The lunisolar calendar identifies years, months and according to astronomical phenomena. Though the Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most of the world including Japan, the signs of the zodiac are still very much a part of Japanese culture today.
Junishi assigns an animal and its attributes to each year in a repeating 12-year-cycle. Junishi is not to be confused with the Western zodiac where names of the constellations that span the ecliptic plane. Both the Chinese zodiac and the Western zodiac have similar cycles that are divided into 12 parts, most of the parts have names of animals, and each is predominantly associated with a culture of attributing personality or events in a person’s life, to influencing relationships based on the cycle. The major difference between junishi and the Western zodiac aside from the latter including constellations is that the 12-part cycle of the Japanese zodiac corresponds to years rather than months.
Chinese zodiac
The 12 signs of the zodiac
The Chinese calendar is known as Genka calendar (元嘉暦, Genka-reki) in Japan and was used from 604 to 680 and was introduced by Chinese monks. The Genka-reki is based on a 60-year cycle made into smaller 12-year cycles. Each mini-cycle is associated with one of the five elements of the zodiac (fire, water, metal, wood, and earth) and with an animal.
The animals on the Chinese zodiac include rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The Japanese zodiac replaced the goat for the sheep (hitsuji) and the pig for the Wild boar (inoshishi).
The animals with the corresponding year and personalities:
子 (Ne): Rat
1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Imaginative, charming and generous. Has a tendency to be quick tempered and over critical. Somewhat an opportunists.
丑 (Ushi): Ox
1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
A leader and someone who inspires confidence. Conservative and methodical. Has a tendency to be a chauvinist and have his own way.
寅 (Tora): Tiger
1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Sensitive, emotional and capable of great love. Has a tendency to be hotheaded and stubborn.
卯 (U): Rabbit
1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Affectionate, obliging, pleasant. Tendency to be overly sentimental. A conservative.
辰 (Tatsu): Dragon
1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036
Intelligent, gifted and full of vitality. A perfectionist who must guard against making irrational demands.
巳 (Mi): Snake
1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037
Wise, charming and romantic. A deep thinker and intuitive. Needs to make an effort to keep a sense of humor and not to be too miserly.
午 (Uma): Horse
1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038
Independent and a hard worker. Although friendly, may have a tendency to be selfish. Must be weary against being egotistical
未 (Hitsuji): Sheep
1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039
Charming, elegant and artistic but quick to complain. Has a tendency to be pessimistic sometimes.
申 (Saru): Monkey
1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040
Must be weary from being an opportunist and being distrustful of people.
酉 (Tori): Rooster
1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041
Hard worker and shrewd. Has a tendency to seem boastful. A dreamer, flashy dresser and extravagant.
戌 (Inu): Dog
1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042
Honest and faithful to loved ones. Has a tendency to worry and find fault.
亥 (Inoshishi): Wild Boar
1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043
Intellectual and sets difficult goals. Sincere and honest and expects the same from others. Somewhat naive. Has a tendency to be materialistic.
