Why is the number four unlucky in Japan?

Learn why the number four is linked to death in Japanese, where the habit shows up, how the number nine fits in, and how visitors can relax about it.

Published October 20, 2026 at 9:17 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: The number four is considered unlucky in Japan because one of its readings, shi, sounds the same as the word for death. Nine can also carry a bad association, since its reading ku sounds like the word for suffering. Today the belief is mostly a quiet habit rather than a strict rule, and attitudes vary from person to person.

The sound behind the superstition

The reason is a play on sound, not on meaning. The Japanese character for the number four can be read as shi, and shi is also how the word for death is pronounced. Because the two sound alike, many people instinctively link the number with something unwelcome. Wikipedia's article on tetraphobia, the fear or avoidance of the number four, notes that the Japanese word for four sounds like the word for death, and that the avoidance is found in Japan and Korea.

Japanese has many words that sound alike, so wordplay has long shaped what people consider lucky or unlucky. This kind of association is called goroawase (matching words by sound), and it is used for luck and for fun in phone numbers, product names and anniversaries. The unlucky four is simply the best known example of that habit working in the other direction.

Yon and shi: two ways to say four

Japanese numbers usually have more than one reading. Four can be said as shi or as yon, and nine can be said as ku or as kyuu. According to Wikipedia's article on Japanese numerals, yon is the preferred reading of four in modern Japanese, and the unwelcome sound of shi is the reason usually given. Nine is likewise often read as kyuu in everyday speech. Many people simply say yon when counting, telling the time or reading out a phone number.

Shi still survives in older, fixed expressions, in some counting patterns and in dates, so you will hear both. April, for example, is shi-gatsu, while four o'clock is yo-ji. A visitor does not need to track which reading goes where. Hearing shi in an ordinary date or phrase is simply the standard spoken form, and it does not mean anything unlucky is happening.

Where visitors may notice it

Wikipedia's article on Japanese superstitions says the number four is avoided in some apartment buildings and hospitals. In practice this can mean that a building skips a room number or a floor label. It is not universal, and many modern buildings number everything in order without a second thought.

Gift giving is another place where the habit can appear. Items sold in sets are often packaged in threes, fives or other counts, and people planning a gift often avoid sets of four. The word for comb, kushi, is also said to be avoided as a gift because it sounds like the word for suffering and death combined, a reminder that sound associations travel in clusters.

Tourists are rarely affected. Hotel rooms, train seat numbers and restaurant tables are often not planned around the superstition at all, and visitors will not be asked to change their plans. If a number happens to be missing from a sequence, there is nothing to worry about, and staff will help with any question about where to go.

Nine, forty-nine and other numbers

Nine joins four on the list of numbers with a tricky reading. Ku, one reading of nine, sounds like the word for suffering or hardship, so it is sometimes avoided in the same way. Wikipedia's article on tetraphobia also notes that 49 can sound like a phrase meaning to suffer and die, which makes it less popular than its neighbors.

Other numbers carry happier associations. Eight is often considered lucky, and a reason commonly given is that the character widens toward the bottom, which people read as a sign of growth. Seven also has a lucky reputation in popular culture, and three, five and seven appear in the Shichi-Go-San festival for children. These associations are folk habits, so they differ between families and regions, and nobody is required to follow them.

Special cases: gifts, hosts and older relatives

The superstition is more likely to matter in formal or traditional settings. Someone choosing a gift for an older relative or a business contact may avoid sets of four items, or may avoid a quantity of four when giving money or presents for a special occasion. People preparing a get-well gift for someone in hospital may also think twice about the count.

For overseas visitors the practical rule is simple: if you are bringing a souvenir for a Japanese host, choose a set of three or five, or a single beautiful item, and nobody will think twice. Younger people are often relaxed about the habit, while older generations are more likely to notice. If the number four appears in your own hotel room or seat number, you can ignore the superstition entirely, since staff do not treat it as a problem.

Myths about the number four

A frequent mistake is to assume that every building in Japan skips the fourth floor. Some do, and many do not. A second mistake is to assume the belief is a religious rule. It is closer to a folk custom built on a pun, with no connection to a specific shrine or temple teaching.

A third misunderstanding is that the number is feared the way some people fear black cats. For most people it is a mild preference, like choosing a gift set that feels pleasant. Visitors who comment on it in conversation will usually find that Japanese hosts enjoy explaining it, though some will say they simply never think about it.

A fourth point is worth knowing: the pun only works in Japanese. Chinese and Korean also have number words that sound like the word for death, so the same idea appears in several East Asian countries, but each language has its own pattern. Visitors should not assume the rules they learned elsewhere match Japan exactly, and a polite question usually gets a friendly answer.

Easy habits and next steps

If you want to respect the custom without effort, there are three easy habits. Give gifts in sets that avoid four, say yon rather than shi when you read out a number, and do not worry if a room number or ticket includes a four. These small choices cost nothing and are easy to remember.

When packing souvenirs from home, choose items you can wrap or box in a count that feels natural, such as three cookies or a single tea tin. When ordering food in a group, there is no need to avoid four plates or four glasses; the habit is about gifts and formal numbering, not about everyday portions.

For further background on how the superstition is described, the two reference pages below cover the pronunciation and the cultural context. As with any folk belief, individual attitudes differ, so treat this guide as general cultural information rather than a rulebook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Japanese hospitals really skip the number four?

Some hospitals and apartment buildings avoid using the number four for rooms or floors, according to published reference material, but practice varies. Many modern buildings number everything in order. Visitors who stay in a hotel or visit a clinic should not expect any change in service because of the number.

Is it rude to give a gift in a set of four?

It is not rude in a legal or official sense, but people often avoid it because of the association with death. A set of three or five is a safer choice, and a single item is always fine. If a gift already comes in fours, the thought behind it still matters most.

Is the number nine unlucky in the same way?

Nine is sometimes seen as unlucky because one of its readings, ku, sounds like the word for suffering. The effect is milder than with four, and people usually say kyuu when counting. Visitors will rarely notice any avoidance of nine in daily life.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Japanese Culture and Customs is available on Amazon.

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