It’s the start of the year 2025, so I’ll kick off the first article in the usual pattern and review this year’s Zodiac sign and other related info. According to the Zodiac cycle, the sign for 2025 is the snake. Depending on the culture, impressions on anything snake-related can either be welcomed with open arms or shut out, despite whatever fortunes predicted. Before we get into any deep conversations, let’s take a look at the specifics of the sanke according to the Zodiac system, and its role in daily life in Japan’s past.
- Zodiac number: 6th sign
- Zodiac character: 巳
- Pronunciation: mi
- Animal / creature: snake
- Direction: south – southeast
- Time: between 9 am-11 am or 10 am-12pm
- Month: 4th month (according to the old calendar)
- Ying/Yang: dark
- Element: fire / wood
Normally the kanji used for snake is “蛇”, which is pronounced as “hebi”. However, for the Zodiac sign the kanji “巳” is used in its place. With this, the Zodiac year is called “Hebidoshi” (巳年)¹, or Year of the Snake.
IMPRESSIONS AND FORTUNE OF THE SNAKE SIGN
What is the fortune we are to expect in this year of the snake? Before going forward, let’s first touch on the general image of the snake. Born and raised in the US, one will see that it’s not very favorable. Words such as sneaky, deceitful, dangerous, venomous, and (for those familiar with teachings from the bible) demonic all come from the negative concepts associated to this creature which persists in today’s society, and has varying levels of severity depending on each individual. It can be due to many factors, including bad experiences with them for those who settled here in this country’s infancy. Of course, it’s not all black & white, for there are plenty of people who view the image and qualities of a snake favorably, and may even say they are cool. It is not unusual to see some people have tattoos of snakes on their body…or even goes as far as having them as pets!
How are snakes viewed in Asia? I would say it’s mix bag, with some impressions positive, and others negative. Due to most Asian countries having a longer history, there is a better understanding on how to deal with it, as well as to make use of them in society. When it comes down to superstitions and stories, the snake has its place where it can represent many ideas, from appearing as a mysterious figure, being used as a messenger of deities, to being a god-like being. A unique trait seen in stories is its skin shedding, which at times is viewed as symbolic for undying. Remember this point, as this is closely tied to this year’s fortune.
BEARING FRUIT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS
In the Zodiac calendar of old, the kanji “巳” is pronounced as “mi”. This character’s original meaning is interpreted similarly to a common character “実” (jitsu), which is “fruits” or “nuts², which are the byproducts of seeds. Through the seed analogy, this Zodiac sign represents the imagry of when a seed has grown fully and is just right to “bear fruit”, which in turn can also mean “earnings”, both literally (for farmers, merchants, etc.) and metaphorically (locals, etc). As a fortune, it is predicted that this sign is effective for increase in earnings and luck.
With the snake now associated with the Zodiac sign, how does its image contribute to auspicious readings in Japan? A snake shedding its old, dead skin and revealing a shiny new one is akin to starting afresh, like getting rid of old baggage tied to failed or missed opportunities, which in turn will attract good luck. Metaphorically, this luck can represent 2 things:
- One’s wounds being healed or receiving medical treatment to recover from illness
- Having a stroke of luck or blessings, which can lead to great fortune
In accordance to receiving the goodness from what this Zodiac sign is predicted to give, people may wear accessories, carry charms, and the like that bear snake motifs on them.
THE WOODEN SNAKE
Now it’s time to talk about the 10 Heavenly Stems, which is the 2nd half of the Zodiac calendar. The sign that is tied to this year is “乙”, or read as “kinoto”, and is #2 in this system. It’s meaning is “kijimu” in Japanese, which refers to something being ajar or creaking open. Within The 5 Elements and Ying/Yang concept³ , this meaning has a harmonious feeling, where it’s interpreted as grass sprouting from the shadows of a tree, stretching outward and spreading into a flourishing field. Also, The element for kinoto this year is “wood” (木).
Together, the full title of this year is “kinoto-mi” (乙巳) in Japanese. In English, we can read this as “wood-snake”⁴.
PREDICTIONS AND WORDS OF WISDOM
To sum things up, popular key phrases related to this year used in Japan include:
- Birth of the new me (新しい自分に生まれ変わる)
- Seizing a bright & happy future (幸せな未来をつかむ)
Also, when addressing the full title, “kinoto-mi”, we can interpret it as “displaying the flexibility to adapt through constant revisions or reviving”. Key words that depict this include “vitality” (生命力) and “regeneration” (再生).
Finally, here are a few old sayings from Japan related to both the Zodiac year, as well as the auspicious views regarding snakes.
- Hebi no yume wo miru to engi ga yoi (蛇の夢を見ると縁起がよい, if a snake appears in your dreams, it is a good sign)
This is connected to fortune-telling based on a person’s dreams, where good luck or lots of fortune is in one’s future if a snake appears. Take note that this is but one of the many see-a-snake old sayings that exist in Japan, most with the same meaning.
- Kaoku ni hebi ga sumu to kanemochi ni naru (家屋に蛇が住むと金持ちになる, when a snake resides in your home, you will become rich)
Not to be taken literally, this saying relates to receiving good luck in the form of a particular snake deity taking residence in one’s home. If we go ahead and apply this saying in a more practical scenario, a snake living under one’s home can mean it will hunt and eat vermin and bugs, such as rats, keeping one’s home pest-free.
- Hebi wa take no tsutsu ni irete mo massugu ni naranu (蛇は竹の筒に入れても真っすぐにならぬ, a snake will not be straight even if you put it in a bamboo tube)
This phrase is an interesting one. To keep it simple, things will be as they are by nature, no matter what. If we take a snake for example, it will always bend and curl, even if stuffed in a tube. A better example is how when certain plants or trees grow with a bend in them, it is difficult to naturally straighten them.
- Dappi shite motte orochi to naru (脱皮して以て大蛇と成る, when it sheds its old skin will it then become a giant serpent)
The meaning for this is becoming a better person each time the weight of one’s past troubles are “peeled away”. This can also be used in a more positive manner torwards self-improvement, or even advancement in one’s career or craft, where you can become more skilled by always gaining more knowledge and re-innovation.
- Hebi ni niramareta kaeru (蛇に睨まれた蛙, a frog whom a snake sets its gaze on)
This refers to when a person encounters an enemy too strong to match. With nowhere to run or hide, fear sets in.
- Hebi ni kamarete kuchinawa ni ojiru (蛇に噛まれて朽縄におじる, being bitten by a snake, you are frighten even by a worn-out rope)
For this phrase, the message expressed here is that after a bad experience, you become more cautious to ensure you don’t repeat it. In the example of being bitten by a snake, a person would stop in their tracks the minute they see something similar in shape…such as a mere rope. Note that there is a bit of wordplay in this phrase, where the Japanese word for worn-out rope, “kuchinawa”(朽ち縄), is a play on an old word used for snake, which is pronounced the same way.
CLOSING
Just as the snake sheds its old skin and reveals a fresh new layer, we too have a chance to bring forth our “new” selves in the new year through self-improvement. Here’s hoping that good fortune awaits all uf us in 2025!
1) Can also be pronounced as “Midoshi”, which is the proper way to read this. On the other hand, it is not too unusual to use the appropriate snake kanji and write this year as “蛇年”.
2) By design, snakes had no relations with the original Zodiac character when the Zodiac system was first conceived. However, that changed over time as now “巳” is associated with these slithering creatures. It is even acceptable to read it as “hebi”.
3) Inyō Gogyō setsu (陰陽五行説)
4) Actually, there are 2 elements for this year. Under the 10 Heavenly Stem is the element wood, while under the 12 Zodiac is the element fire. Not sure how it all comes together and when either is referenced, but for the most part I have seen more emphasis on the “wood snake” labeling, so for the time being I will stick with this.