Here's a breakdown of all the best, worst and weirdest love superstitions in Japan.

The start of the year is filled with celebrations of love, especially in Japan. There’s Valentine’s Day, with its unique Japan-specific rules, and White Day, which can sometimes be less than romantic. Japan also has plenty of superstitions that surround finding, falling and losing love. Here’s a breakdown of some unique Japanese love superstitions you might not know.

• Japanese Love Superstitions
• Breakup Related Superstitions
• Weird Japanese Love Superstitions

Japanese Love Superstitions

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](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/03/iStock-1217827819.jpg)Increase your chances of finding your person with these superstitions

Lucky Date Spots in Tokyo

Tokyo can be quite the romantic city, what with its fifteen love and matchmaking-related shrines. Once you’ve paid your respects at one of these spots, what else can you do.

Tokyo Tower

A classic spot to visit is Tokyo Tower. It’s said that a couple who witness the lights turning off at midnight at Tokyo Tower will be together forever. This can happen any day of the week, but if you want extra good luck, then the special lights on Saturday evenings are a must-see. Especially the red ones, as they symbolize love and gratitude.

Love, Luck and Weather

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](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/03/iStock-504875086.jpg)First snowfall of the year? Lucky you!

There are plenty of superstitions that involve the weather, too. If you and your partner witness a solar eclipse together, if you’re on a date and the first snow of the year falls, or if you and your partner see a rainbow after a rainstorm together, your love is set for life.

Umbrellas

One of the most famous Japanese superstitions is ai ai gasa (相合傘) or “sharing an umbrella. The word ‘ai’ also means love (愛* ai*), and so sharing an umbrella is a romantic experience for many couples. Although not as common as it used to be, teenagers often draw a stick umbrella with a heart at the top and their name and their crush’s name underneath.

Texting

[

](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/03/iStock-2157048686.jpg)Time to start practicing texting with your non-dominant hand

If you confess via email or text, do it on an odd-numbered day and type with your non-dominant hand to increase your chances of success.

Stationery-Related Love Superstitions

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](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/03/iStock-2248328966.jpg)Be wary of this massive taboo in Japan

Red Ink

If you want to increase your love luck, use a pink/red pen every day until the ink runs out. Surrounding yourself with pink things in general is said to help, too.

What happens when the ink finally runs dry? Whatever you do, don’t write someone’s name with it. It’s a massive taboo in Japan, as the names of the dead are usually written in red, and it symbolizes death, bad luck and severing ties.

Erasers

One that might not be as common today as it used to be involves erasers. If you buy a new eraser, write your crush’s name, keep it hidden under the paper label, then use that eraser up completely, your love will be requited.

Breakup Related Superstitions

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](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/03/iStock-1289705878.jpg)Proceed with caution

Unlucky Date Spots in Tokyo

There are many places in Tokyo that couples shouldn’t visit to avoid bad luck.

Keio Inokashira Park

The most famous superstition, of course, is that any couple that rides a swan boat together at Inokashira Park in Kichijoji is doomed to break up. This legend tends to apply to most swan boats and bodies of water in Japan, however. If the body of water is said to be blessed by Benzaiten (the Buddhist goddess of the arts and wealth, among other things), then she may curse couples who are too in love. Another common origin story of these superstitions is that a heartbroken woman who drowned herself in said body of water has cursed anyone in love to break up. At Inokashira Park, though, the only male swan boat is said to be immune to that curse.

Tokyo Disneyland

Although not technically in Tokyo, Tokyo Disney is considered a risky place for couples to go on a date. This one seems to be based more in reality: it’s a long trip from Tokyo, it’s expensive, and it’s easy to get into arguments or ignore one another during long waits.

One point that is shared by Tokyo Disney and the swan boats is that, seeing how your partner reacts to issues and how much or little they contribute to doing things may give you a glimpse into the future. You might see something you don’t like, and that could signal the end of the relationship.

Hairbrushes and Loose Hair

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](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/03/iStock-688275500.jpg)Think twice before brushing

Hair seems to play a big part in your love luck in Japan. If you have two combs or brushes in your bag, your crush will fall for someone else. Or, if you use someone else’s comb without shaking it three times first, then your love will be unrequited. Be careful of loose hair on your clothes because if someone else picks it off for you, you’ll end up heartbroken.

Scissors and Mirrors

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](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/03/iStock-1495646010.jpg)No scissors on date night

Using scissors or a knife on the same day as a date means your relationship will come apart, too. Never look at your reflection in a broken mirror, either, or else your love luck for the month will drop. That, by the way, is on top of the seven years of bad luck that breaking a mirror brings.

Weird Japanese Love Superstitions

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](https://cdn.savvytokyo.com/app/uploads/2026/03/iStock-1028148006.jpg)Don’t ask us why it has to be on the left cheek

Apparently, if you get a pimple on your left cheek, someone is in love with you. Bumping into a happy couple (accidentally, of course) will let some of their love luck rub off on you. If you give up your seat on the train three times to elderly people, that will also help your love luck.

A semi-science-based superstition is that, if you confess to your crush on the phone, you should ask them to switch their phone to the left ear first. Allegedly, what you hear using the left ear will connect to the right side of the brain, and that will cause the listener to process how they feel about what’s being said, instead of the literal meaning.

Lastly, for *takoyaki *(octopus balls) lovers out there, eating a piece of takoyaki without octopus in it (accidentally!) means you will fall in long-lasting love.

Do you know any other Japanese love superstitions? Share them in the comments below!