In Japanese ‘Hatsuyume’ is the first dream you witness in the New Year. It is

a concept taken rather seriously.

It is seen as an omen whereby one assesses how the coming year is to treat

them on the details of their first dream.

However there are three interpretations. From New Years Eve to new years

day, new years day to the 2nd of January or the dream you see on the 3nd of

January.

Originally it was a tradition from the Kamakura period。Around 1200 years

ago a poet called Saigyo Houshi made it the first dream you see between

‘Setsubun’ the beginning and spring and the actual first day of spring. This

was outlined in the collection of Japanese poetry called ‘Sankasyu’.

In the past the first of spring was seen as the new year, so nowdays its from

new years eve to new years day. Now with people up all night watching new

years eve television and going to visit the shrines and temple (Hatsumoude),

there are a lot of people who don’t sleep. In fact even a long time ago to bring

in the god of age, many spent all night in the temple, so their situation was

unfavorable too.

From the Muromachi era, the painting of the treasure ship the 7 gods paddlng

in what is said to be the new year, is seen as lucky if put under your pillow.

Therefore with this in mind, from just after the Edo period the time frame gave

everyone some leaway and now its up until the 3rd of January.

‘Ichifuji-ni taka- san nasu’ ?

This means first mount Fuji, second falcon, third the eggplant.

This means if you dream of any of the images of the three above your

destined for a lucky year. There used to be a belied in Fuji so that’s self

explanatory. The main temple for this belief was ‘Komagome Fuji Jinja’ and

beside it was a falconer’s mansion. The ‘Komagome Eggplant’ was famous in

the area too.

In simple terms Fuji is the largest mountain in Japan, Falcons are known as

very intelligent and eggplants name, ‘nasu’ in Japanese, also means to fulfill

or to become.

For these reasons they have become lucky symbols. However this belief

system has fallen out of fashion and you would really have to consciously hint

yourself before bedtime to dream up any of these three images.