Did you know?

Believe it or not

Salt for purification, as well as to keep bad luck away, is an old superstition in Japan. Small pyramids of salt are often seen on the thresholds of restaurants, shops, houses of geisha and sometimes at the gates of private residences in the belief that no evil will pass over them, and as a welcome gesture to a guest or customer and to attract customers. Should a customer, about to enter a restaurant, accidentally kick some of he salt towards it, this is considered a very lucky omen.

A Japanese wrestler before grappling with his opponent will, in the frequent pauses in the ring preliminaries, scatter handfuls of salt here and there so that no evil spirits can enter the ring and prevent him from winning.

According to the Japanese idea, salt purifies everything, and it is still the custom, in some Japanese families, inasmuchas meat was not eaten in olden days, that when meat is cooked, salt must be prinkled on the fire, for the fire's purification.

When one returns from a funeral, salt is sprinkled over the shoulder of each individual before entering the home.