“Year of the Horse”, New Years postcard, 1906, an auspicious year for the zodiac sign because 1906 was only one of two “Fire Horse” (Hinoeuma) years to occur in the 20th century. The year 2026 will be the first “Fire Horse” year of the 21st century. (See below.) Due to a superstition birthrates in Japan tend to see a sharp decline each “fire horse” year.
Born
2026, 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978,
1966, 1954, 1942, 1930, 1918, 1906
“The horse is the seventh symbol in the Japanese Zodiac. In the past, horses and people lived and worked side by side, and their mighty bodies and their power made them the symbol of ‘life’. This sign represents ‘liveliness’ and ‘openness’.
“People born in the Year of the Horse are skillful in paying compliments and talk too much. They are skillful with money and handle finances well. They are quick thinkers, wise and talented. Horse people anger easily and are very impatient.
“The horse figures prominently in Japanese art, but is usually not depicted with great skill.
“Year of the Horse”, New Years postcard, 1930.
“The Fire Horse (Hinoeuma) is the 43rd combination of the sexagenary cycle. Due to a superstition birthrates in Japan tend to see a sharp decline each ‘fire horse’ year which occurs every 60 years.
“It is said of the superstition in the early Edo period that ‘there are many fires in the year of the fire horse.’
“Year of the Horse”, New Year’s postcard, 1930.
“According to the legend, a daughter of an Edo era green grocer had been born during a Fire Horse year, in 1666. She was later burned at the stake for attempting to commit arson. Since then, it has been thought inauspicious for a child – especially a girl – to be born in the year of the Fire Horse – and in Japan, fewer children are born in such years.
“This superstition remained strong well in the Shōwa era. The most recent Fire Horse year was 1966 when the birth rate in Japan dropped 25% from the previous year. On the other hand, the number of births reported in the previous year and the following year increased.
“The most recent Fire Horse years have occurred in 1906 and 1966. The next will be 2026.”
– Wikipedia
