Born in 1989 (Shōwa 64 / Heisei 1): eto and age

1.The eto of 1989, and the Risshun rule

The eto of 1989 is 己巳 (Tsuchinoto-mi, the Yin Earth Snake). In Four Pillars, Nine Star Ki and other Eastern astrology, though, the year begins at Risshun (Feb 4 in 1989). People born between 1 January 1989 and the moment of Risshun (Feb 4, 5:27) are treated as the previous year's 戊辰 Tsuchinoe-tatsu and Sanpeki Mokusei.

2.Personality of people born in 1989

己巳 combines 己, the stem of fields and gardens, with 巳, the snake. Shedding its skin again and again, the Snake stands for rebirth and for money luck. Snake people are thoughtful, wise and intuitive.

Caring and nurturing, you raise people and projects patiently. Multi-talented, you absorb knowledge and make it your own.

Read more: meaning of 己巳, Year of the Snake and Jikoku Dosei.

3.School years in Japan for people born in 1989

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 1989

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 Snake in 2026 and 2027

2026: overall ★★★★☆ A year with the wind at your back: challenges bear fruit

2027: overall ★★★☆☆ A steady year: consistent effort pays off

Read the full fortune for the Snake →

7.The calendar of 1989

In 1989, Jikoku Dosei 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 1929 and 2049; years with the same eto and the same star come every 180 years (1809, 2169). Tsuchinoto-mi comes round once every 60 days and every 60 years. Tsuchinoto-mi days are festival days of Benzaiten and are considered the luckiest of all Snake days for money and the arts.