Lucky days for the safe-birth prayer and sash ceremony, 2026

In the fifth month of pregnancy, on a Dog day, it is customary to wrap a maternity sash (iwata-obi) for the first time in the obi-iwai celebration, and to receive a prayer for a safe birth at a shrine. Dogs give birth easily and have many puppies, which is why Dog days were chosen.

How we chose: every Dog day is listed. ◎ marks Dog days that fall on Taian or Tomobiki, ○ those that fall on Ichiryū-manbai-bi (this only happens in the Pig month, from Rittō to Taisetsu), △ those that fall on Fujōju-bi or Jushi-bi, and – all other Dog days. Dog days in the Tiger month (Risshun to the day before Keichitsu) are Jushi-bi, the “black day”; if you care about the almanac, choose another Dog day. 30 days in all. Saturdays and Sundays are marked in the tables; holidays are named under the date.

Month by month

Tips for choosing a date

There are two or three Dog days in the four weeks of the fifth month (weeks 16–19). Put your health first, and on busy weekends, holidays and Taian Dog days check the shrine's hours for prayers.

Lucky days in the almanac have long been used as a guide for choosing dates. Put your family’s plans and other people’s schedules first, and use them when you can’t decide. Almanac notes can differ between traditions.

Lucky days for the safe-birth prayer and sash ceremony, 2027 →　All lucky-day calendars →

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