How to Read “First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant”
Ichi fuji ni taka san nasubi
Meaning of “First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant”
“First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant” is a proverb that lists three things in order that are considered lucky to see in your first dream of the year.
People believed that if Mount Fuji, a hawk, or an eggplant appeared in the first dream of the New Year, that year would be blessed with good fortune.
Mount Fuji is ranked as the most auspicious, followed by the hawk, and then the eggplant.
This proverb mainly comes up during the New Year season. People use it in conversations like “What did you see in your first dream this year?”
It was also connected to a custom where people would place a picture of a treasure ship under their pillow on New Year’s night, hoping to have a good dream.
Even today, this proverb appears in New Year’s greetings and conversations about New Year’s cards. It remains beloved as an expression that symbolizes Japan’s culture of valuing good luck.
Origin and Etymology
Several theories exist about the origin of “First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant.”
The most widely accepted theory connects it to the famous things from Suruga Province (present-day Shizuoka Prefecture) that Tokugawa Ieyasu loved.
Mount Fuji is the sacred mountain that represents Suruga. The hawk refers to falconry, which Ieyasu enjoyed. The eggplant points to the first-harvest eggplants that were a specialty of Suruga.
Another interpretation suggests that each word carries auspicious meanings. Fuji sounds like “buji” (safety) or “fushi” (immortality).
Taka (hawk) sounds like “takai” (high), representing rising fortune. Nasu (eggplant) sounds like “nasu” (to accomplish), representing the achievement of goals.
Records from the Edo period show that these three items had a continuation: “fourth fan, fifth tobacco, sixth blind monk.”
The fan represents prosperity because it spreads wide. Tobacco represents rising fortune because smoke rises upward.
The blind monk was interpreted as lucky because “having no hair” sounds like “having no injury” in Japanese.
The custom of connecting these lucky items to the special first dream likely spread among common people during the Edo period.
The hearts of people wishing for New Year’s fortune created these words and passed them down through generations.
Interesting Facts
“First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant” actually has a continuation. During the Edo period, people knew the phrase “fourth fan, fifth tobacco, sixth blind monk.”
However, this continuation is rarely used today. Only the first three items have become widely established.
There are various theories about when to have your first dream. Some say it’s the night from New Year’s Eve to New Year’s Day.
Others say it’s the night from the first to the second of January. Still others say it’s the night from the second to the third.
During the Edo period, the night of January 2nd was commonly considered the time for the first dream. This was because January 2nd was when business activities began for the year.
Usage Examples
- I didn’t dream of any of the items from “First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant” this year, but I hope it’ll still be a good year
- We were talking about how great it would be to see Mount Fuji in our first dream, and then it actually appeared in my dream—I was so surprised
Universal Wisdom
The reason “First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant” has been passed down for so long is that it contains a fundamental human wish.
That wish is to ease anxiety about the future and welcome the new year with hope. This is a universal working of the human heart.
Everyone holds both expectations and anxieties about the unknown time that lies ahead. These feelings grow especially strong at turning points like the beginning of a year.
Since ancient times, people have sought some kind of “sign.” They found meaning in images that appeared in dreams, the world of the unconscious.
By connecting these images to future good fortune, they tried to achieve peace of mind.
What’s interesting is that this proverb specifies three concrete objects. Rather than vaguely wishing to “have a good dream,” people could have a clear goal for the first dream experience.
They had specific images: Mount Fuji, a hawk, and an eggplant. This represents humanity’s effort to give meaning and order to an uncertain future.
Also, this proverb assigns rankings. First, second, and third aren’t just a list—they show a hierarchy of value.
Humans have formed collective values by ranking things and sharing those rankings. The idea that even good luck has levels might suggest something important.
It hints that happiness in life isn’t a simple binary but exists on a diverse spectrum.
When AI Hears This
The human brain has a limit: it can instantly remember up to three things. This is known in psychology as working memory capacity.
It’s no coincidence that traffic lights have three colors, podiums go to third place, and fairy tale trials happen three times.
“First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant” stops at exactly three items because adding more would make it harder for people to remember.
In fact, there’s a theory about a continuation: “fourth fan, fifth tobacco, sixth blind monk.” But almost nobody remembers it.
What’s even more interesting is how these three items were chosen. According to the peak-end effect discovered by cognitive psychologist Daniel Kahneman, humans evaluate experiences not by the whole but by “the most intense moment” and “the final moment.”
Mount Fuji provides an overwhelming visual peak. The hawk offers dynamic impression. The eggplant delivers an unexpected ending.
This arrangement seems calculated to leave a strong memory trace in the brain.
If it were “First Fuji, second eggplant, third hawk,” it wouldn’t have spread this widely. The biggest impact first, then a moving element, finally an unexpected twist.
This sequence maximizes memory retention. People in the Edo period didn’t know brain science, but through generations of oral transmission, they naturally selected the most memorable combination.
It was like natural selection for ideas.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern people is the importance of having hope and the wisdom to give that hope a concrete form.
We face an uncertain future every day. Nobody knows exactly what will happen tomorrow or what kind of year next year will be.
But that’s precisely why people need hope. “First Fuji, second hawk, third eggplant” gives that hope a concrete image.
By having clear positive images against vague anxiety, our hearts can become more forward-looking.
In modern society, scientific evidence and rationality are valued. But the human heart cannot be satisfied by these alone.
Sometimes, hope without basis or small acts of seeking good luck give us courage. What matters isn’t blind faith but skillfully using these as tools to keep our hearts positive.
At the start of a new year, a new month, or a new week, why not find your own “lucky things”?
They don’t have to be Mount Fuji, a hawk, or an eggplant. Find something that brightens your heart and make it your emotional support.
Such small efforts should make your life richer.
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