So the other day, we were at home minding our own business and we received this beautiful invitation to a Yakudoshi Celebration in honor of Tsuji, our neighbour across the street.
So what exactly is a Yakudoshi Celebration? I'm glad you asked...
Bad luck ages are referred to as yakudoshi, with yaku meaning “calamity” or “calamitous” and doshi signifying “year(s).” These years are considered critical or dangerous because they are believed to bring bad luck or disaster.For men, the ages 24 and 41 (or 25 and 42 in Japan) are deemed critical years, with 41 being especially critical. It is customary in these unlucky years to visit temples and shrines to provide divine protection from harm. In Hawai‘i, it has become a widespread tradition among men of Japanese ancestry to celebrate the 41st birthday with a festive yakudoshi party or gathering to ward off the bad luck or disaster that may strike. The birthday person should wear red to bring good health, vitality and long life.
The equivalent yakudoshi ages for women are 18 and 32 (19 and 33 in Japan), with 32 thought to be a particularly hard, terrible or disastrous year. Like the age 41 for men, precautions are taken to ward off bad luck, and some women in Hawai‘i celebrate their 32nd birthday with a special yakudoshi party. 
The 41 year-old birthday boy with his party hat and wearing red and black
The 41 year-old birthday boy with his party hat and wearing red and black
His cake...
Our neighbours Tsuji and Jeannine
