Born in 1984 (Shōwa 59): eto and age

1.The eto of 1984, and the Risshun rule

The eto of 1984 is 甲子 (Kinoe-ne, the Yang Wood Rat). In Four Pillars, Nine Star Ki and other Eastern astrology, though, the year begins at Risshun (Feb 5 in 1984). People born between 1 January 1984 and the moment of Risshun (Feb 5, 0:19) are treated as the previous year's 癸亥 Mizunoto-i and Happaku Dosei.

2.Personality of people born in 1984

甲子 combines 甲, the stem of a great tree, with 子, the rat. In Japanese, “rat arithmetic” (nezumi-zan) means multiplying quickly, and the Rat stands for prosperity and many descendants. Rat people think fast, gather information well, act quickly and have a real talent for saving.

You are a natural leader with a strong sense of justice, and once you decide something you see it through. You look after people, and friends trust you deeply.

Read more: meaning of 甲子, Year of the Rat and Shichiseki Kinsei.

3.School years in Japan for people born in 1984

Japanese school years run from 2 April to 1 April the next year, so people born between 1 January and 1 April (hayaumare) are in the grade above.

4.Longevity celebrations

Kanreki is celebrated at 60 (61 in traditional counting). From Koki on, the celebrations were originally counted in traditional age, which would make each one a year earlier than shown.

5.Yakudoshi (unlucky years) for people born in 1984

Yakudoshi are counted in traditional age (kazoedoshi = the calendar year − birth year + 1; everyone gains a year on 1 January, regardless of birthday).

6.Fortune for the Rat in 2026 and 2027

2026: overall ★★☆☆☆ An uneven year: preparation and judgment are key

2027: overall ★★☆☆☆ An uneven year: preparation and judgment are key

Read the full fortune for the Rat →

7.The calendar of 1984

In 1984, Shichiseki Kinsei sat in the center of the Nine Star Ki year chart, and the lucky direction (where the year god Toshitokujin resides) was east-northeast. Years with the same eto are 1924 and 2044; years with the same eto and the same star come every 180 years (1804, 2164). Kōshien Stadium, home of Japan's national high-school baseball tournament, was named after the Kinoe-ne year 1924 in which it was completed. In the old calendar a Kinoe-ne year was believed to bring change, and the era name was sometimes changed.