The Year of the Fire Horse

As many of you know, in Japan and China the zodiac consists of twelve animal signs, and each year is named after one of them. This new year of 2026 is the Year of the Horse—but more specifically it is the Year of the Fire Horse, which occurs every sixty years.** 

It was 60 years ago that my family and I arrived in Japan for the first time. Even though we were told it was the Year of the Horse, I can’t remember anyone telling us it was the Year of the Fire Horse.

After two years of language study in Tokyo, we moved to Fukuoka City in southwest Japan. We lived in an all-Japanese neighborhood, and the Shibata family next door became dear friends. Mr. Shibata’s given name was Toraichirō, and since tora is the Japanese word for tiger, it was easy to discern he was born in the Year of the Tiger, the same as I was.

In 1974 when I turned 36, three times around the Japanese zodiac, Mr. Shibata celebrated his 72^nd birthday, having completed six cycles. At some point, we learned that Mrs. Shibata celebrated her birthday on January 1 even though she was born at the end of 1906, which was the year of the Fire Horse.

For the Japanese people who take the “superstitions” entwined with the zodiac seriously, it is commonly believed that “girls born in the Year of the Fire Horse will be temperamental, have bad marriages and be threats to their fathers and husbands.”

Since 1906 was the Year of the Fire Horse and thus seen as a bad year, especially for women born with that zodiac sign, Mrs. Shibata’s family registered her birth as being at the beginning of 1907. She did grow up to be a rather strong-willed woman, but Toraichirō-san was a kind, patient man, and we enjoyed having them both as neighbors during the 23 years we lived next door to them.

What can we expect this Year of the Fire Horse (which has little meaning in the Western world)? At the end of each year, there are always many articles published with what is thought to be the best or worst of whatever in the past year. But I want to think only about 2026 (and beyond) rather than looking back over the past year. I don’t want to walk into the future backwards.

In the Old Testament, the writer of Second Isaiah records these words from the Lord God: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!” (43:18-19a, NIV). We do need to learn from what has previously happened, but it is important not to dwell on the past. Rather, we are encouraged to focus on the future where God is “doing a new thing.”

Despite the negative aspects of the Year of the Fire Horse, especially for women, there are positive aspects also. The Fire Horse can legitimately be considered as a symbol of strong will and forward motion, encouraging individuals, families, and communities alike to pursue important changes and reforms.

 In that sense, the Year of the Fire Horse becomes a metaphor for times when intense pressures and rapid shifts do not just unsettle life but also open the way for renewal, growth, and more authentic directions.

Rather than dwelling on 2025 as a horrible year, let’s look forward to this new year being a year of positive change. I am a regular reader of “The Cottage,” Diane Butler Bass’s Substack newsletter. Her January 1 post was titled “Annus Mirabilis Everybody!”

Bass rightly notes that so many pundits labeled 2025 as annus horribilis, a “horrible year.” That, she writes, is “the 2025 consensus: Horrible. A disaster. Glad that’s done.” But, looking forward, she challenges us readers to name the new year of 2026 annus mirabilis, the “wonderful year,” the “year of miracles,” or the “beautiful year.”

She continues, “We can do this. Together. Let’s name this year Mirabilis. … If we start now, 2026 can be a year of wonder, a year of miracles, or maybe even a beautiful year.”

Among other things, with Fire Horse energy, may we USAmericans of goodwill work together to change the direction our nation is heading by voting to change the political leadership of the nation come November.

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** As mentioned in my previous (12/31) blog post, Japan has long used the “Western calendar,” with the new year beginning on January 1. But the traditional Chinese-style calendar (generally referred to as 旧暦 (kyūreki, “old calendar”) is still often used when referring to the zodiac, which was borrowed from China. Thus, the “Chinese” Year of the Fire Horse doesn’t begin until February 17.