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According to the Oriental Zodiac, and its 12-year cycle of years being symbolized by animals, 2026 is the Year of the Horse (Uma-Doshi, 午年).  Japanese culture and the Japanese language are rich with horse-related proverbs (kotowaza, 諺), reflecting the animal's historical role as a sacred messenger of the gods and a symbol of strength.  The following are some horse-related sayings from olden days Japan:

(1)  尻馬に乗る (Shiri-uma ni noru) ... "To ride on the horse's rear" ... Which means following others' opinions or actions without thinking for yourself.

(2)  馬の耳に念仏 (Uma no mimi ni nenbutsu): "Saying a Buddhist prayer into a horse's ear" ... Equivalent to "preaching to the deaf," this is used when giving advice that is completely ignored or misunderstood -- wasted effort.

(3)  馬に乗るまでは牛に乗れ (Uma ni noru made wa ushi ni nore) ... "Ride a cow until you can ride a horse" ... Learn the basics on something slow before tackling advanced challenges.

(4)  馬脚をあらわす (Bakyaku o arawasu) ... "To reveal the horse's legs" ... This means to show one's true colors or for a hidden weakness to be exposed.

(5)  将を射んと欲すればまず馬を射よ (Shō wo iru to hossu-re-ba mazu uma wo iyo) ... "If you want to shoot the general, shoot his horse first" ... To defeat a big target, take out its essential support.

(6)  小馬の朝駆け (Ko-uma no asa-gake) ...: "A foal's morning gallop" ... A warning against starting a project with too much enthusiasm only to burn out quickly ... This is a popular theme in 2026, reminding people to pace themselves through the high-energy Year of the Horse.

We hope your year ahead living in Japan will be safe and enjoyable!

Written by Goodfield