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This is a day of bad luck, mishaps and misunderstandings. The only safe window? Noon.
The Rokuyō meaning of these two kanji together signifies bad luck all day except at noon. It is generally considered an inauspicious day for most important activities, except perhaps memorial services or events specifically suited to midday.
If you were planning to registering your wedding at the city hall today, it would be better to do at noon, though some offices might be closed for lunch.
The origins of Shakku go deep into Chinese mythology. It’s said to come from Akakuchigami, a fierce deity who ruled over eight demon gods at the East Gate of Tai Sui (the star of misfortune).1
Hence Shakku days cause trouble to people and creatures. The Rokuyō day's name comes from shakuzetsunichi (赤舌日: red tongue day).
The colour red has a long wavelength and the second most visible colour in the colour spectrum. It therefore catches people's attention and a good choice to warn us of danger. God knew this when deciding on what colour blood should be. Yellow similarly has a long wavelength; a good choice for the colour of potential danger from fire.
So the 'red' in Shakku can symbolise blood, and 'mouth' can symbolise speaking, eating or verbal arguments.
Together, these kanji caution tailors, carpenters, chefs, butchers, farmers, etc., who use knives and other sharp-edged implements.
Fire-eaters also should take care!
With Shakkū's link to fire - literal (accidents, burns) and metaphorical (anger, outbursts) - there's an increased risk of squabbles and verbal disputes, making it a bad day for negotiations, business deals and even casual conversations. So, if you feel a sharp comment coming on, maybe bite your tongue (before someone else does).
As mentioned above, the only exception to Shakkū’s day of bad luck, is the good luck at noon. This could be because the sun is at its highest, overpowering evil spirits and misfortune. Performing purification rituals or offering prayers at noon may counteract Shakkū’s negative effects. An example is the fire-walking ritual (hiwatari) and purification rites that are deliberately performed at noon on Shakkū to counteract its negative influence.
(Unlikely that's the origin of the idiom "putting your foot in the mouth", but it might be.)
So, if you see someone having a rough day on Shakku, now you’ll know why. And if you really need to do something important today, just wait until noon.
Also known as
Akakuchi, Sekiguchi, Shakkan'yō, Shakkō and Jakkō
