◇ Depends on the scene Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below
Seven wandering ghosts of Shikoku lore: a chain of bad luck, or being swept along by a group.
Category: Local lore & folktales (how to read this category)
Psychology
Being followed by a band of ghosts reflects fear of a cycle you cannot break or of being swept along by a group. People tend to conform to groups over their own judgment. The procession may mirror relationships or habits moving on without your consent.
Folklore and history
Shichinin Misaki are seven ghosts walking together, told in Kochi and elsewhere in Shikoku and western Honshu. Whoever meets them dies and joins, while one of the seven finds peace, so they always number seven. They are usually said to be the spirits of those who died wrongful deaths, with origins varying by place.
For personal safety and emergency alerts during solo nighttime exploration.
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This site's view
In this site's view, ask whether you were outside the line or in it. Outside means the bad current has not caught you. Inside suggests you are passing complaints and grievances down a chain. The real horror of the legend lies in its endless rule: someone leaves only when someone else joins.
Going deeper: our reading
Among Shichinin Misaki traditions are tales from various places of local people building shrines to calm the spirits of those who died tragic deaths. Behind the frightening ghosts lay the hearts of people who pitied the dead and prayed that such sorrow would never happen again. In this site's reading, those who have this dream may want to break a bad current while also feeling sympathy for the people caught in it. Making way for the procession with your palms pressed together suggests you can care for others from a distance without being drawn in. Recognising acquaintances in the line suggests your heart is being pulled by the pain they carry. This is our speculation, but a procession pausing before a shrine and quietly vanishing may mean you sense a long chain of misfortune nearing its end. It is a tradition local people have carefully honoured, so receive it quietly.
What to do on waking
Today, let complaints and gossip pass without joining in. Stopping a bad current at yourself breaks one link in the chain.
In this scene
- ◎Good It helps you or gives treasure: like the zashiki-warashi, luck is coming (good)
- ▲Warn Tricked or taken: a hidden trap, or words to doubt (warning)
- Seeing what it really is: a fear becomes clear and fades
- 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
A portable chair for sitting and resting during a long stakeout or wait near a haunted spot.
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FAQ
Q. Is dreaming of shichinin Misaki a good or bad sign?
A. Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below. Seven wandering ghosts of Shikoku lore: a chain of bad luck, or being swept along by a group.
Q. Why do I keep dreaming of shichinin Misaki?
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 shichinin Misaki?
A. Today, let complaints and gossip pass without joining in. Stopping a bad current at yourself breaks one link in the chain.
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 "Local lore & folktales"
- A Kenmun
- Oshirasama
- Itako & Osorezan
- Namahage
- Koropokkur
- A Snow Child
- An Escorting Wolf
- Betobeto-san
- A Mujina
- Daidarabotchi
- The Dragon Palace
- The Tamatebako
※ Dream interpretation here is entertainment drawing on psychology and folklore — it is not scientifically proven. "This site's view" is our own interpretation.
