Get Your Hands on the Traditional Japanese Fortune Calendar: Takashima Koyomi!

This is the calendar currently in use. On November 9, 1872 (Meiji 5), Japan officially abolished the lunar calendar and adopted the solar (Gregorian) calendar. Under this system, the year is divided into 365 days and each day into 24 hours. The year is split into 12 months, with a leap year added every four years. It was also determined that the 3rd day of the 12th month in the old calendar of 1872 would be treated as January 1, 1873 in the new calendar.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Fortunes and directional luck based on Nine Star Ki astrology.

Many of the "calendar annotations" (rekichū)—which denote the fortune or directional auspiciousness of specific dates and times—originate from ancient Chinese philosophies such as Onmyō Gogyō Setsu (the Theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements) and divination practices. One of the core components of these annotations is the eto, or the Sexagenary Cycle.
The eto is a combination of the Ten Heavenly Stems (十干 / jikkan) and the Twelve Earthly Branches (十二支 / jūnishi).
The Ten Heavenly Stems were originally used as a numerical notation system, functioning like symbols to count days in ten-day units. Each ten-day unit was called a jun, and three jun—upper, middle, and lower—made up a month. This structure is still widely used today.
In ancient China, there were two key ideas: Yin-Yang Theory, which divided all things into two opposing forces—yin and yang—and Five Elements Theory, which saw everything as composed of five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. When combined, these became the Theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements (Onmyō Gogyō Setsu).
Eventually, the Ten Heavenly Stems came to be aligned with this theory. In Japan, the concepts of yin and yang were likened to "older brother" (e) and "younger brother" (to), respectively, leading to the combined term eto, which literally means "brothers" but came to signify the cycle of stems and branches.

Meanwhile, the Twelve Earthly Branches originally served as names for the twelve months and were later assigned to twelve animals.

There are 60 possible combinations of the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches, known as the Sexagenary Cycle. Once this cycle completes, one reaches the age known as Kanreki (return calendar). For example, the combination of "kō" and "shi" is read as "Koushi," "Kasshi," or "Kinoe-ne."

This section includes public holidays, the 24 Solar Terms and miscellaneous seasonal days (explained later), various events, festivals, and selected lucky or unlucky days (also explained later).

What is generally referred to as the "old calendar" in Japan is a lunisolar calendar system introduced from ancient China. It combines a lunar calendar, which is based on the phases of the moon, with a solar calendar, which follows the movement of the sun. This system was used in Japan until the calendar reform of 1872 (Meiji 5).

Rokuyō is thought to have been introduced to Japan from China around the 14th century. However, it did not become widely used in Japan until the end of the Edo period. Over time, the names and their sequence have changed. Today, they are Senshō, Tomobiki, Senbu, Butsumetsu, Taian, and Shakkō. For example, the first day (new moon) of the 1st and 7th months of the lunar calendar begins with Senkachi, and the rest follow in sequence. Interpretations vary and there is no single correct definition. What follows is a general understanding.

"Choku" in Junichoku means "to correspond" or "to be accurate," implying these fortune-telling notes were believed to be highly reliable. There are twelve types: Tatsu (Establish), Nozoku (Remove), Mitsu (Full), Taira (Flat), Sadan (Fix), Toru (Hold), Yaburu (Break), Ayabu (Risky), Naru (Achieve), Osan (Harvest), Hiraku (Open), and Tozuru (Close).

Ancient Chinese people observed the Big Dipper and used its orientation to define the months, known as Gekken. Each month had a corresponding Earthly Branch, and the first day of that branch after the beginning of a new month was designated as Tatsu (Establish), followed by the other types. Interpretations of Junichoku have varied over time. Though rarely used today, they are sometimes referenced for determining auspicious days for construction or moving. For example, during the winter solstice (lunar November), the ladle points north (the direction of the Rat), so it was called the month of Kenshi (Establishing Rat). Following that pattern, December became Ox, January Tiger, and so on.
The first day after the beginning of each lunar month that matched the month's corresponding Earthly Branch was designated as Tatsu (Establish), followed by the rest in order. For instance, if January's Gekken is Tiger, then the first Tiger day after the beginning of spring is Tatsu, followed by Remove on the Rabbit day, Full on the Dragon day, and so on. Normally the cycle follows twelve types, but only the day before the start of a new solar term carries the same sign as the previous day.
The meanings of The Twelve Signs have varied slightly over different historical periods. While they are rarely used in modern times, they are sometimes still referenced when determining auspicious dates for activities like building construction or moving.

Often used together with the Twelve Day Signs, the nijuhasshuku originate from Chinese astronomy and astrology. When checking your fortune for a particular day, it is best to consider both the Twelve Day Signs and the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions together.

In the old calendar, a “Large Month” (ō no tsuki) had 30 days, while a “Small Month” (shō no tsuki) had only 29 days.
The traditional calendar used in Japan was a lunisolar calendar, in which one month was based on the cycle of the moon’s waxing and waning. Since the moon takes about 29.5 days to orbit the Earth, months were adjusted by alternating between 30-day and 29-day lengths. These were called “Large Months” and “Small Months,” respectively.
Meanwhile, the Earth takes approximately 365.24 days to orbit the sun, and the seasons change based on this solar cycle. Because the lunar cycle and the solar cycle don’t match perfectly, repeating just Large and Small Months would eventually cause the calendar to drift out of alignment with the seasons.
To correct this, a leap month (urūzuki) was inserted every two to three years, creating a 13-month year to realign the calendar with the seasonal cycle.

Your Nine Star sign based on your birthdate. This star reflects your personality, sensitivities, and overall nature.

A symbol that quickly communicates this year’s overall fortune. Examples include: Stability Luck, Ups and Downs Luck, Prosperity Luck, Joyful Luck, Transformative Luck, Bright Luck, Stagnation Luck, Obstructed Luck, and Powerful Luck.

An illustration and proverb are included to help visualize and understand your fortune for the year.

You can check your compatibility with another person based on their Nine Star sign. This compatibility does not change annually—it remains the same for life. If you often feel uneasy or uncomfortable around someone, it might be helpful to check this compatibility. Knowing the cause of the mismatch can help you manage the relationship more consciously.

Your overall fortune for the entire year.

A list of birth years associated with each star and the corresponding age this year.

This chart shows at a glance which directions are lucky or unlucky for you. Note that the orientation is reversed compared to a standard compass: the top is south and the bottom is north. If you plan to go in an unlucky direction, such as the east, it is advisable to first visit a lucky direction like north, south, or west before proceeding.

A concise summary of your fortune for each month. These entries can help guide your actions throughout the year.

Each day’s fortune is represented by a symbol, divided into five levels:

Check your lucky and unlucky directions, the Directional Luck Chart, and your monthly lucky directions.
Going in a direction deemed lucky for your Nine Star sign is essential. Whether you're planning a date or hoping to meet someone new, consult the Takashima Koyomi in advance to determine which directions will favor you before and on the day of your outing.

Use the compatibility section!
The Takashima Koyomi uses Nine Stars, which are categorized into five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. The relationships between these elements determine compatibility. You can identify compatibility between yourself and another person by comparing your respective Nine Star signs.

If you feel naturally in sync with someone or, conversely, find them tiring to be around, you might want to refer to this compatibility section.