◇ Depends on the scene Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below
Reconciliation, cooperation or a new tie. A firm grip means trust; a cold hand calls for caution.
Category: Actions & events (how to read this category)
Psychology
A handshake shows a wish for an equal bond or to settle a grudge. The feel of the hand mirrors your true view: warmth means trust, a weak grip means reserve or doubt.
Folklore and history
Handshakes are not a traditional Japanese greeting; they spread from the West after the Meiji era. Dream readers thus treat them as reconciliation or agreement, and shaking hands with a rival signals an end to conflict.
A book that unpacks the ancient beliefs and sorcery surrounding cinnabar, the vivid red mineral — a reference for articles touching on shrines and the color of blood.
The Folklore of Red: Ancient Secret History Revealed by Cinnabar (Manabu Toya / Kawade Shobo Shinsha)
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This site's view
In this site's view, note who let go first. If they did, they hold the lead; if you did, you still keep a line. An icy hand or one that would not let go may urge you to recheck a deal or promise.
Going deeper: our reading
A handshake joins palms, a part of the body we rarely let others touch. Just as nerves make palms sweat, the hand easily betrays what we feel, so a handshake touches the other person's honest mood. Many people in Japan bow while shaking hands and remember the awkwardness of an unfamiliar greeting. In this site's reading, handshake dreams come when you want to face someone of different standing as an equal but are unsure how. Who it was matters. A boss or elder suggests a heart torn between wanting recognition and holding back. A former rival points to anger you are beginning to put to rest. A celebrity hints at a wish to turn admiration into your own strength. This is our speculation, but if your hand was wrapped in both of theirs, you may soon receive unspoken encouragement from someone.
What to do on waking
Greet someone you are at odds with first today. Reread any agreement before signing.
In this scene
- ◎Good It works out, you escape: you can overcome a real challenge (good)
- ▲Warn It fails, you are caught: feeling cornered — rest or ask for help (warning)
- Doing it again and again: an unsolved problem is still on your mind
- It felt good: the lucky reading gets stronger
- ▲Warn It felt frightening or painful: the warning reading gets stronger — rest first
- The same dream again and again: something your mind has not settled yet
Turning a bad dream
In Japan, people once tried to turn a worrying dream for the better: a baku charm under the pillow, telling the dream to a nandina bush, or reciting an old dream-turning poem. Read the column on dream trading and dream-turning
The fourth entry in the "Scary Floor Plans" series, a nationwide edition reporting on stigmatized properties from Hokkaido to Okinawa — worth introducing alongside our region-by-region spot articles.
Stigmatized Property Ghost Stories: Scary Floor Plans 4 - Nationwide Edition (Tanishi Matsubara / Futami Shobo)
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FAQ
Q. Is dreaming of shaking Hands a good or bad sign?
A. Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below. Reconciliation, cooperation or a new tie. A firm grip means trust; a cold hand calls for caution.
Q. Why do I keep dreaming of shaking Hands?
A. A recurring dream usually points to something your mind has not settled yet. Research suggests such dreams tend to stop once the underlying worry is resolved. Keeping a dream diary helps you notice what triggers it.
Q. What should I do after dreaming of shaking Hands?
A. Greet someone you are at odds with first today. Reread any agreement before signing.
Related dream essays
- True Dreams and Reverse Dreams: Why We Read Dreams Backwards
- Buying Dreams, Turning Dreams: A Japanese History of Dream Trading and Dream Charms
Read this dream with your own scene in the Dream Dictionary →
More dreams in "Actions & events"
- Meeting Someone
- Being Stood Up
- Passing Someone By
- Seeing Someone Off
- Welcoming Someone
- Waving
- A Shoulder Ride
- A Piggyback
- Being Whispered To
- Being Thanked
- Saying Thank You
- Wrapping Something
※ Dream interpretation here is entertainment drawing on psychology and folklore — it is not scientifically proven. "This site's view" is our own interpretation.
