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The Rokuyō meaning of those two kanji together is bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon. (See what Rokuyō considers to be 'the afternoon'.) It's the universe’s excuse for staying in bed; the procrastinator's Lucky Day!
Why does "defeat" (負) lead to good luck in the afternoon? Because rushing in the morning supposedly leads to failure, while waiting things out brings success. It’s less about “fortune-telling” and more a philosophical nudge toward patience - like the universe reminding you not to send that risky email before your coffee kicks in.
It’s a cosmic endorsement of sleeping in, though there's no guarantee that your boss would accept this excuse for being late for work.
Since rushing in the morning is "unlucky", Sakimake is a great day to drive carefully, avoid road rage, and let other cars go first. Who knows, maybe waiting at that red light brings good fortune later.
And if you miss your train or bus in the morning commute on a Sakimake day, don’t get frustrated. That misfortune in the morning means your afternoon will go smoothly. Missing that train may actually be a blessing in disguise.
Traditionally, Sakimake was considered a good day for modest, low-stress activities, making it the perfect excuse for relaxation or light work.
If you set off too quickly, then you'll lose; just as Aesop says in the Hare and Tortoise. We should be modest and calm in everything we do.
And we all know that supermarkets can knock the prices down of perishable products in the afternoon, giving late shoppers a better deal.
It's said that during Japan's Sengoku period (c. 1467-1600), some samurai avoided battle on Sakimake mornings but considered afternoon engagements more favourable. That makes sense; charging into battle half-awake is doomed to failure. Sakimake aligns with the idea of avoiding rash decisions.
Back in the Edo period (1603-1868), some merchants avoided opening their shops in the morning on Sakimake days, thinking it would bring bad luck. Instead, they opened later in the day - which might explain why some small businesses today still open late.
You'll notice that the first kanji (先) is the same for this Sakimake day (先負) and the Senshō day (先勝). For the Sakimake day, 先 is read as "Saki", but for the Senshō day 先 is read as "Sen". Just as the English words are riddled with homonyms, homographs, homophones and heteronyms, Japanese is blessed with a delightful mix of 'on' readings (imported Chinese pronunciations) and 'kun' readings (native Japanese pronunciations), and most kanji have both on-readings and kun-readings.
In this example, 'Sen' is the on-reading and 'Saki' is the kun-reading. Adding to the fun is that 先 also means previous or prior, which is a wider meaning of 'early'.
Senshō → "Sen" (on-reading) = Early = Victory comes to those who act quickly.
Sakimake → "Saki" (kun-reading) = Early = Defeat comes to those who act too soon.
Senshō is the early bird that gets the worm, and Sakimake is the second mouse that gets the cheese.
Also known as
Senmake, Senbu, Senpu, depending on regional pronunciation.
Whatever you call it, one thing is certain: take it easy in the morning, and let the good luck roll in later. And if someone complains about your slow start to the day, just tell them you’re following centuries-old wisdom.