People Who Are Lucky Their Whole Lives

I have a strange special ability. It is that I "attract good luck."
When I was in elementary school, a girl in my class had a four-leaf clover, and I returned it to her as a five-leaf clover. In junior high, I always drew the first prize in lotteries. In high school tests, even if I forgot the notes where I had written down predicted questions at home, those exact questions would appear on the test.
This "good luck" has continued into adulthood. If I stand in a line, the items never sell out before I get to the front. On days when it looks like it might rain, an umbrella appears from nowhere. If I buy stocks, they go up in value within the same day.
Normally, you would think there is no way a person could live a life like this. Honestly, I sometimes doubt my own existence. The person reflected in the mirror is a very ordinary man in his 30s. I don't have any special talents. It's just that the world is on my side.
But, there is a price for this "good luck."
I don't have any true friends. Everyone either envies my luck or tries to use me. I don't have a lover either. It's because I can't tell if the other person likes me or if they like my good luck.
Even at work, my colleagues avoid me. Because every project I touch succeeds, it seems my presence makes those around me nervous.
And above all, I don't have the concept of a "challenge." Everything I do goes well. I don't know the taste of failure. Therefore, I don't have any real "growth."
One day, I decided to buy a lottery ticket. I had decided that if I won, I would donate all the money. But, as expected, I won the first prize.
That day, I cried for the first time. I finally realized the life I was bound to by good luck.
Now, I am clutching the lottery winnings and am about to set off on a journey somewhere far away. I haven't decided on a destination. I spread out a map, closed my eyes, and placed my finger on a spot.
Perhaps, in that place, I might be able to experience "bad luck" for the first time. When I think about that, my heart races a little.
I am going to throw away the "good luck" that everyone in the world envies and go in search of an ordinary life.
Somehow, I feel like that wouldn't be so bad.
That was the preface to the 859th Namunin Interview, written on August 11, 2024, at 1:22 PM!!!!!!
[Preface: qbc / Yasuhiro Kuribayashi (Writer / Organizer of Namunin Interview)]

Joining us this time is Hachikaku Umeda!

Age: Late 20s
Gender: Male
Occupation: Fortune teller

Current: Things I'm happy to hear are "I'll come again," and also "I'll give it a try."

Iwana:
What does Hachikaku Umeda do for a living now?

Hachikaku Umeda:
I'm working as a fortune teller now.

Iwana:
How long has it been since you started?

Hachikaku Umeda:
About half a year, I suppose.

Iwana:
I see. What were you doing until half a year ago?

Hachikaku Umeda:
Half a year ago, I was working as a supermarket clerk.

Iwana:
I see. What triggered your interest in becoming a fortune teller?

Hachikaku Umeda:
I suppose it was when I had my fortune told by a fortune teller, and they told me I was suited for it and should try it out.
They told me I should do a job where I could help people in small groups, so I thought, well, maybe fortune telling is the way to go.

Iwana:
Did you go to get your fortune told when you were worried about what to do next?

Hachikaku Umeda:
That's right, I didn't know what I should do, so I went to ask.

Iwana:
Were there any other candidates besides being a fortune teller for a job that helps people in small groups?

Hachikaku Umeda:
I initially thought about being a tutor for a small group, too.
I've always been interested in it, after all. Also, my parents liked it quite a bit, so there's that.

Iwana:
What kind of schedule do you live by now?

Hachikaku Umeda:
Basically, I wake up around 8:00 AM, and since the shop is in Asakusa, when I go there, I leave around 9:00 AM because it starts at 10:00 AM, work until 7:00 PM, come home, play some games, and go to sleep.

Iwana:
How often do you do fortune telling in a week?

Hachikaku Umeda:
It's three times a week right now.
It sometimes increases or decreases, but that depends on the customers' schedules and how full the booth is.

Iwana:
Now that half a year has passed, how is your fortune-telling work going?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, it's interesting, as expected.
The best part is when clients are convinced and actually follow through with the results of the fortune-telling.

Iwana:
Do you receive reports from clients about whether they took any action after the reading?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I do get those sometimes.
I actually know people who have changed quite a bit because of it, so it makes me happy when that happens.

Iwana:
What kind of fortune-telling do you do, Hakkaku Umeda?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Right now, I mainly do Tarot and Four Pillars of Destiny.
So, I start by giving a rough, vague answer to their concerns using Tarot, and then I use the Four Pillars of Destiny, which uses their date of birth, to, well, narrow it down—or rather, to provide more specific details.

Iwana:
Are there many different styles, and do you choose the style of fortune-telling you like to work with?

Hakkaku Umeda:
That's about right.

Iwana:
Why did you choose Tarot and Four Pillars of Destiny?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I consider the Four Pillars of Destiny to be my main focus. That's because fortune-telling using a date of birth is the most accurate, and the place where I learned it was very easy to understand.
Also, there are three types of fortune-telling.
The Four Pillars of Destiny I mentioned earlier is called 'Meijutsu' (destiny reading), while Tarot is called 'Ekijutsu' (divination).
It seems it's better to be able to do these in a balanced way.
That's why I chose the orthodox Tarot. The ones where you look at something and give an answer immediately are 'Ekijutsu'. And 'Meijutsu' is the one that uses the date of birth.
There is also 'Sojutsu' (physiognomy), like name analysis or palm reading, which is also about giving an answer based on what you see.
If you can do those three, I feel like you can tell fortunes for almost anything. Or rather, it's said that you can provide a balanced reading.

Iwana:
So, do you also see some clients using 'Sojutsu'?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I do name analysis occasionally.

Iwana:
Are there things you are better or worse at?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Hmm... well, the Four Pillars of Destiny is what I'm best at.
Tarot really makes me nervous because I don't know what will come up either.

Iwana:
Once the results are out, I assume you give advice to the client, but do you know what to say as soon as you see what is written?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I do know that. Whether it's Tarot or the Four Pillars of Destiny, I can explain those things clearly.

Iwana:
Even so, you get nervous with Tarot because you really don't know what will come up?

Hakkaku Umeda:
That is true.

Iwana:
What kind of clients have you had so far?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Basically, people who don't know what they are suited for, and there are also quite a lot of relationship consultations. It's mostly those two.
There are also consultations about workplace relationships.

Iwana:
Are there any specific areas you excel in when it comes to those kinds of consultations?

Hakkaku Umeda:
The question of what kind of work is suitable for someone, which I mentioned earlier, is something I'm very good at.
And then there's interpersonal relationships. I can provide insights on both of those using either Four Pillars of Destiny or Tarot.
Like compatibility, for instance.
So, I'm relatively good at those two things.
However, I'm not very good at love consultations. I can't really say much if it's too vague.
That's why I'm very good at the job hunting and interpersonal relationship consultations I mentioned earlier.

Iwana:
I see. Does the advice you give depend on your own life experiences as a fortune teller?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, I suppose so.There are many things that are hard to convey unless you've experienced them yourself. And there are many things you can't understand unless you've gone through them, so that's even more true.

Iwana:
I'd like to ask about you personally, Hakkaku Umeda. What do people close to you often say about your personality?

Hakkaku Umeda:
That I'm laid-back.

Iwana:
Oh, that came out quickly.

Hakkaku Umeda:
Yeah, I get told that quite a lot.

Iwana:
What do you think about yourself?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I think that's true. Basically, anyway.
I don't really like being told what to do by others, about various things. I think I'm that kind of person.
So I do think I'm laid-back.

Iwana:
Does that aspect of your personality reflect in your work as a fortune teller?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Hmm, well, I think so.I'm basically a sole proprietor, so in that sense, I think this suits me. I can work at my own pace, after all. Basically.

Iwana:
Is this your first time working as a sole proprietor?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Ah, yes, it is.
It was really tough at first, but now I've managed to build a website and do various things.
Compared to when I wasn't doing anything, I've been getting a lot more work.

Iwana:
What part was the most difficult?

Hakkaku Umeda:
The fact that even when I posted on social media, it didn't really connect to work.
I think I only found one or two people that way, maybe three. I managed to catch about three people.
It was quite a lot of misses—or rather, almost all of it. Not everyone in those communities is necessarily open-minded about fortune telling, so there's that.
Also, surprisingly, referrals. My mother and aunt love fortune telling, and I got some referrals from them.
But it didn't really connect beyond that; I didn't get many referrals from referrals, so that part was quite painful.

Iwana:
You mentioned that work is coming in quite a bit now; what did you change?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Like I said, I built a website. I manage it and pay for the advertising myself.
I hired a company to manage it, and I started doing that at the end of May, so it's been about two months now, but it has increased significantly. 15 cases just from that.
And plus, at the fortune-telling house in Asakusa, if you include the walk-in customers, I'm seeing about 20 people a month, one way or another.

Iwana:
I'd like to ask about things outside of work as well.
What do you spend most of your time doing when you're not working?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I like Uma Musume, so I play that, or I watch videos of people I like on YouTube. Also, I like to exercise at night, so I do Fit Boxing or go running.

Iwana:
When you're doing that, are you thinking about anything in your head?

Hakkaku Umeda:
No, I'm basically not thinking about anything. I'm doing it because I want to enjoy it.

Iwana:
What if you no longer had time for those things and only did fortune-telling work?

Hakkaku Umeda:
That would be interesting in its own way, though. After all, it's the job I wanted to do most.
Actually, I'd be grateful if it turned out that way. Well, I just feel like I'd want time for exercise.

Iwana:
Is exercise for your mind or your body?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I'd say both. It's useful for both aspects.
In that sense, I do feel like I'd want that time.

Iwana:
Do you have any other hobbies?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, games and exercise... and reading books, I quite like reading.
Since the place where I work is a department store, there's a bookstore on the fourth floor, so I go buy books there every now and then. I've bought quite a lot there.

Iwana:
Oh, I see. What kind of books do you like?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Lately... what should I say. Hmm.
Right now, I'm reading a book about China called 'Wild Swans'.
Before that, I don't know, I like books like 'The Anatomy of Dependence' (Kuuki no Kenkyu), I quite like those kinds of new books (shinsho). So, yeah.
I'm basically reading those kinds of things.
And I read books that were mentioned in those books. Also, lately I've been reading books about why men and women are so different.
I don't really understand romance, so I read those kinds of things.

Iwana:
Oh, I see. Are you reading about the differences between men and women to apply it to your fortune-telling?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Ah, yes. That's right.In short, the way of thinking is completely different in many aspects.
I want to know why they are different, so that's why.
You know, if you don't know, it's hard to get by.

Iwana:
Which gender makes up the majority of your clients?

Hakkaku Umeda:
There are more women. I ran an ad on Instagram before, and even then, three-quarters were women. It was 25:75. So, basically, there are more women.

Iwana:
Are you thinking of increasing the number of male clients in the future?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Actually, I really do want more men to come.
According to my stars, I'm destined to succeed by targeting men.
So I want company presidents and such to come as much as possible.

Iwana:
I see. So even though it's a job helping people, the target is divided into women and men.

Hakkaku Umeda:
Ah, yes, exactly.

Iwana:
Are you doing anything to try and attract more male clients?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, you know. I'm trying to get to know women and have them introduce me to men. I'm doing that, but they don't really come.

Iwana:
I see. I don't think this applies to everyone, but are there many men who are hesitant to try fortune-telling... or something like that?

Umeda Hakkaku:
That's true. As you can tell from the Instagram ads I mentioned earlier, they don't seem to trust it much, so they don't really come, do they?

Iwana:
What is something you've enjoyed recently?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Something I enjoyed, in fortune-telling? Anything is fine, just something interesting.
But you know, while doing fortune-telling, it's that thing where someone says they came because of a referral—I have one tomorrow—and when that happens, it makes me happy. Because it leads to the next step.
That is genuinely very happy for me, actually.

Iwana:
Is there anything people say to you that makes you happy?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Things that make me happy to hear are "I'll come again" and "I'll give it a try."
Those two things make me happy, after all.

Iwana:
At this point, six months into starting fortune-telling, what kind of period do you think this is in Umeda Hakkaku's life?

Umeda Hakkaku:
A period of taking flight, I suppose. In the sense that I finally know what I want to do, I feel like things can only go up from here.
I have a feeling it's that kind of period.

Past: Also, since my sensibilities are quite feminine, I was told that fortune-telling might be a good fit for me, and since I've been quite influenced by my parents, I was told it's about time I became independent.

Iwana:
When Umeda Hakkaku was young, around the time you became aware of things, what kind of child were you?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Well, it seems I was very smart. That was something I was often told.
Like having a good memory and such. I went to a place called Shichida Child Academy.
They did education that was meant to improve memory or develop the right brain.I went to things like that, and well, my parents loved that kind of thing, or rather, they were people who really liked education, so that was even more the case.
But I don't think my personality has changed much.

Iwana:
Then, how about elementary school?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Around first grade? Well, I was a very picky eater back then. I was extremely skinny.

Iwana:
What kind of things did you like?

Umeda Hakkaku:
When I had just entered elementary school, right?
Overall, I liked Japanese history. I liked it a lot, and I feel like I was very interested in the Sengoku period. I liked it so much that I was already interested in those kinds of things back then.

Iwana:
Did you have a favorite warlord?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Well, I liked Sanada Yukimura. People like that.

Iwana:
Did you go anywhere or read various books?

Umeda Hakkaku:
There was this thick book about Japanese history that had manga in it, and I used to read that quite a bit during breaks.

Iwana:
How was school life itself, with studies and various other things?

Hakkaku Umeda:
It was fun.
I was basically able to do it, so I didn't feel that restricted. Or rather than restricted, it was something like... yeah, I didn't feel restricted.

Iwana:
You mentioned you had a good memory, but how was it outside of history? Were you good at everything?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I could generally do it in elementary school.
Not really, yeah. I was preparing for middle school entrance exams, so I went to cram school and studied for that.
If I had to say, maybe I was a little weak in science.
Science and also math... I don't know. Maybe just that I wasn't very good at the 3D geometry stuff. Those were the two things I was bad at, but I was really good at Japanese.

Iwana:
Why do you think you were bad at those subjects?

Hakkaku Umeda:
For the 3D stuff, it was a bit hard to visualize. And physics, too. Science is basically physics and things like that, but I just genuinely didn't understand it.

Iwana:
Did you take entrance exams for middle school?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I failed my first choice, so I went to my second choice.
Middle school was, hmm... it was so restrictive I don't really want to remember it.
High school was the same, but it was a combined middle and high school.

Iwana:
In what ways was it restrictive?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Since it was basically a prep school, it was study, study, study. And there were a lot of teachers who were like, 'Why do I have to teach you?' That was part of it.
Also, yeah, it took about an hour to get there from home. That was pretty tough, too. School ended around 5:00 PM, and I'd get home around 7:00 PM, so if I had club activities, it would be 8:00 or 9:00 PM, which was a bit difficult.

Iwana:
What club were you in?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I was in the tennis club at first, but the advisor was terrible, so I quit and joined the newspaper club.

Iwana:
I've never heard of a newspaper club. What kind of activities do you do?

Hakkaku Umeda:
We just did the work of making a newspaper for the school.
But we didn't do it that often. We only did it at the end of the semester. So, basically, we didn't do much.

Iwana:
Do you have any other memories from middle school?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Hmm... I don't really remember.

Iwana:
Thank you.
You mentioned it was a combined middle and high school, did anything change?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I stopped going to school in my second year of high school. It was too suffocating.
The class I was put in during my second year was a collection of hardcore academic elites, and I had no intention of being like that, so it was extremely restrictive.

Iwana:
What did you do every day after you stopped going to school?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I played Monster Hunter for about a month, but I thought, 'This is really bad.'
I lived a life where I only went to school during the day and then came home.
Basically, I would go to the teachers' office, and eventually, from around June of my third year, I would go to the teachers' office in the morning and study at Toshin in the afternoon.

Iwana:
Even when you weren't going to school, did you feel like you 'had to study'?

Hakkaku Umeda:
It's more like my parents told me to go to university, so I had no choice but to do it. So I just studied hard at Toshin and went to university. That's how it was..

Iwana:
Up until now, I think you felt that classes were easy and studying wasn't really hard, but did you find the studying at that time particularly difficult?

Hakkaku Umeda:
No, I didn't. I had no choice but to do it, so I did.
Toshin was actually quite interesting, so in that sense, it wasn't a struggle.
Also, I decided not to study at home at all. In that sense, I just focused on doing it at Toshin.
So, from 10 a.m. to about evening, I guess I studied solidly for about 6 to 7 hours.

Iwana:
Why do you think Toshin was fun, conversely?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Toshin, well, it's individual instruction, you see.
I'm the type who studies by watching videos alone, so that was definitely the best for me.

Iwana:
I see! Is it that your 'my-pace' personality is working in your favor...?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Ah, yes, exactly. It's definitely working in my favor.

Iwana:
Could it be that you are where you are now because you were able to go to Toshin?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, yes, regarding university. I got into Chuo University using my Center Test scores. The Department of Political Science.

Iwana:
Why the Department of Political Science?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, I actually wanted to go into law, but that was the only place I got accepted. Well, it didn't really make much of a difference, though.

Iwana:
When did you decide you wanted to go into law?

Hakkaku Umeda:
That was a long time ago. My parent is a lawyer. That's right. At the time, I was thinking of becoming a public prosecutor, not a lawyer, so that's why. I'd been interested in law-related fields for a long time, so that's what I was doing.
Well, unfortunately, studying for the bar exam was too difficult, so I gave up and worked as a supermarket clerk.
That's the background.

Iwana:
Was the bar exam after you graduated from university?

Hakkaku Umeda:
No, I was studying while I was still in university. I started around my fourth year, but it was difficult.

Iwana:
What was the trigger for deciding to quit?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, it was too hard, and I couldn't pass the exam at all, so I thought, 'Maybe I'm not cut out for this,' and quit.

Iwana:
Oh, did you take it a few times?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I took it two or three times. But you know, there's a first, second, and third stage, and I couldn't even pass the first stage, so I thought, 'This is impossible.'

Iwana:
Were you able to fully shift your mindset after deciding to quit?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Oh, well, that's true.

Iwana:
You mentioned that you worked at a supermarket after graduating from university, right?

Hakkaku Umeda:
That's right, I did it for about four or five years.
But for the last year or so, I really wanted to quit so badly. Part of it was that I was getting bored. In that sense, it was the right decision to become a fortune teller.

Iwana:
By the way, what was the reason you chose to be a supermarket clerk?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I had worked part-time at a supermarket before, so I just thought, if I'm going to do something, it might as well be something not much different from what I've already done.

Iwana:
What was your motivation for working there, aside from the last year?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, I just felt like as long as I could work eight hours, anywhere was fine.

Iwana:
What did you do in your time outside of work?

Hakkaku Umeda:
It's not much different from now. I exercised and played games.

Iwana:
I see. How did you go about things after you decided you wanted to quit?

Hakkaku Umeda:
For one thing, I had gotten injured after falling down the stairs.
Then, around June, my physical condition started to feel off. I'm sensitive to humidity. So, while I was taking time off, I had a fortune telling session. After that, I just rested as much as I could and then quit.

Iwana:
Was that the only place you went for fortune telling? That's amazing, you made up your mind so quickly.

Hakkaku Umeda:
That's right. It was an introduction from my parents, actually. The person who did it was an acquaintance of my parents.

Iwana:
How did you feel when you were told that you were suited for this kind of work?

Hakkaku Umeda:
It was like, 'Oh, is that so?' I was really convinced, after all.

Iwana:
Conversely, did you feel like you had been doing something you weren't suited for up until then?

Hakkaku Umeda:
After hearing that, I started to think so. I realized it really wasn't for me.

Iwana:
I see. A job helping a small number of people. Is there anything else you remember being told?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Also, they told me that my sensibilities are quite feminine, so fortune telling might be a good fit for me, and that since I've been influenced by my parents quite a bit, it might be time for me to become independent.

Iwana:
After hearing that, did you do anything other than taking action to become a fortune teller?

Hakkaku Umeda:
No, I didn't do anything else. I basically just acted along those lines.

Iwana:
Regarding the idea that your sensibilities are feminine or that you should be independent, how do you feel about those personally—would you say you're convinced or not?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I was convinced by both. I quite like cooking, and I also tend to like cute things, so in that sense, I think it fits that my sensibilities are feminine.
And it's certainly true that I need to be independent.

Iwana:
Are you currently living with your parents?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Since coming to Tokyo, I've basically been living with my younger brother. He's also attending university in Tokyo.

Iwana:
I see, so you're not originally from Tokyo.

Hakkaku Umeda:
Oh, that's right. I'm originally from Himeji. I moved here when I started university.

Iwana:
I see, I see. Have you been in Tokyo ever since you started working?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Since university, yes, basically I've been here the whole time.

Iwana:
When you decided to start fortune-telling, was it with the feeling that you'd do it in Tokyo?

Hakkaku Umeda:
That's right. Well, the place where I was studying also has a shop in Tokyo, and I figured I could do it anywhere anyway.

Iwana:
How long did you study fortune-telling for?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Two weeks. I started right after I quit my job, and it was eight 90-minute sessions.
I said I could do it whenever, so I really finished it in two weeks.

Iwana:
That's a short period!

Hakkaku Umeda:
Yeah, but I really had a lot of time, so that's how it was. Usually, I think it's about one or two months on weekends, but it was eight 90-minute sessions.

Iwana:
Do they teach you like a class, similar to university?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Something like that, one-on-one. I did it over Zoom like this.
Even now, I still do study sessions like that about once a month.
I'm still learning a lot of things there that I wasn't taught before.
I still have to keep studying, after all.

Iwana:
What kind of feeling do you have when you study fortune-telling?

Hakkaku Umeda:
No, I'm not really thinking about anything. Basically.

Iwana:
I see, so you don't feel particularly excited or anything?

Umeda Hakkaku:
It was like that at first. Now, I pretty much know it all.
What I'm doing now is basically just review. I'm just comparing what I'm doing with what the teacher said to see how it stacks up.

Iwana:
It seems like if you take classes like that, you'd end up the same, but fortune tellers actually have quite a bit of individuality, don't they?
Do you think Umeda Hakkaku's individuality has already been established as a fortune teller?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Well, that's true. At the very least, my approach is different from my mentor's. My mentor doesn't use tarot cards, after all.

Iwana:
Oh, I see! The method.

Umeda Hakkaku:
Yes. It's different.

Iwana:
Is there anything else you think is characteristic of your fortune telling?

Umeda Hakkaku:
I'd say it's how I convey things concisely and clearly. Even the bad news.
That part, yes. Other than that, I try to keep things simple.

Mirai: Well, you're invincible. You're a person who's been lucky your whole life.

Iwana:
If you think about yourself, Umeda Hakkaku, five or ten years from now, or even until the end of your life, what kind of image do you have of your future?

Umeda Hakkaku:
From here on out, it's only going to expand. I'm thinking of moving forward without looking back.
Before that, well, I'd like to have my own shop soon.
I'm working hard with that as my goal.

Iwana:
What kind of situation needs to be in place for you to decide whether or not to have a shop?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Well, it really comes down to income. It's tough unless it increases significantly.
At the current pace, I won't make it in time, so I need it to increase a bit more—or rather, a lot more. It's tough unless it increases by about four or five times what it is now.
I only get 50% from the shop. That's why, yeah. I'm thinking of renting a space to do it.
Whether they'll post it on their website depends on them, so I'm waiting on that. They said it would be decided by next week or the week after. If that works out, it'll make a big difference.

Iwana:
Four or five times is quite impressive. Is that like 100 people?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Yeah. It'd be tough if I couldn't see 100... at least 50.
If I can see 50 people in an hour... normally, I should be able to earn 300,000 yen.
If I can earn that much every month, I feel like it would make a huge difference.

Iwana:
Regarding the future where things just expand, is there anything else you see beyond that expansion?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Seeing my customers happy, I suppose. I can see that much.

Iwana:
Outside of fortune telling, is there anything you want to do before you die?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Marriage, I guess. I don't have any plans yet, but I'll do my best to find someone.

Iwana:
Have you thought about what kind of person you'd like?

Umeda Hakkaku:
Hmm, well... I haven't really decided on that firmly yet, so it's something I'd like to pin down as soon as possible.

Iwana:
By the way, do you ever do readings for yourself?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I did, I did. In the final class. The teacher does readings for us at the beginning, so in that first class.

Iwana:
So you do a reading for yourself at the end. What kind of results did you get?

Hakkaku Umeda:
First of all, it said I am a "person who is lucky their whole life." To begin with, that is.

Iwana:
Wow!! That is really great.

Hakkaku Umeda:
It really is. I have another two or three years of even better luck ahead of me.
I found that out, andalso, let's see, I have strong intuition and, like I said before, I'm a person who goes at their own pace.
I think I have a strong ability to lead people. Also, it seems I have a star that says I can become a big company president. Plus, I'm good at building organizations, I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat but I have good taste, and I'm serious.
And as for a life theme, it's that I should keep talking, something like that.

Iwana:
That certainly sounds like you're cut out to be a fortune teller.

Hakkaku Umeda:
That's right. Well, having two stars for intuition is really useful for tarot.
I also have a star that makes my words easily persuasive, and it's better for my life if I keep talking, and on top of that, I can entertain people. In that sense. Well, you also need taste for fortune telling.
In that sense, I feel like it's being put to good use.

Iwana:
I felt like that was a really great result.

Hakkaku Umeda:
However, regarding marriage, there is a star that says I might be a bit distant from that.

Iwana:
Oh, is that so?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Also, I might appear on TV around the age of 40. There was a star for that too.

Iwana:
Amazing! That's so detailed, you can even tell things like that?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I can tell that much.

Iwana:
I have the impression that Hakkaku Umeda's future is bright, but has your personality or behavior changed now that it has been put into words?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, it has definitely changed.

Iwana:
Is there anything you have been conscious of?

Hakkaku Umeda:
As for being conscious, there are stars I don't have, so I try to compensate for those.
In my case, I lack intellect and the ability to take action, so I made sure to move forward on my own.

Iwana:
Does anything change by trying to fill in the stars you don't have?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, yes. I wouldn't be a fortune teller if I didn't study, and I couldn't build a website if I didn't take action, so thinking about it that way, I think I'm someone who moves quite a bit.

Iwana:
That's interesting.

Hakkaku Umeda:
It is interesting, isn't it?

Iwana:
Was there anything different from what the teacher told you when you first had your fortune read?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Something different from when the teacher read my fortune... hmm, I wonder. But I think it was mostly accurate. I feel like it was mostly accurate.
Thinking about it now... well, I do feel like it was accurate.
Basically, I'm studying the same material, so there isn't that much of a difference.
It hasn't changed that much, I suppose. That's how it feels.

Iwana:
In terms of fortune-telling, do you have any other images of what you'd like to be doing in 5 or 10 years, or what kind of people you'd like to help?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Also, I want to become an instructor of Four Pillars of Destiny, first of all.
If I can do that, my income will be much more stable, and it's also a good thing to have more fortune-tellers like me.
The shop is one thing, but I might be able to become that before I open a shop.
Well, I don't know. That's only if people who want to study come to me.
I've been asking people that after I finish their readings.
If there are people who say yes, I'm thinking of doing it if I can get two people.

Iwana:
Is it like taking on apprentices?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Ah, yes, it's like that.

Iwana:
Is it more like you're just teaching on your own rather than registering as an instructor?

Hakkaku Umeda:
It's both. So, I have to register as an instructor to teach.
So, it's like teaching. It costs money to become an instructor, too.

Iwana:
Specifically, how many years from now would you like to start as an instructor?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, I really should do it within 3 or 4 years, because there's no point in just doing readings forever for financial reasons.

Iwana:
By the way, according to your fortune, are you suited to be an instructor?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I think I am suited for it. I'm easy to find persuasive, and I'm also serious.
Also, I have two stars that can entertain people, so in that sense, I think I might be suited for it.
Actually, I think there are stars that are even more suited for it, or rather, I know there are.
But I don't have those.

Iwana:
What kind of stars are the ones that are suited for it?

Hakkaku Umeda:
They are the stars of intelligence that I said I didn't have earlier. That's the star for being good at teaching others.
Another one is the star for being good at studying and teaching others to bring them good luck.
If you have those stars, you're quite strong. There's also a star for having the ability to take action, but I don't have that one. I feel like people who have those three are quite suited to be teachers.

Iwana:
Does that mean it's the exact opposite path when you put it into words?

Hakkaku Umeda:
But, the more I talk about it, the more I realize that the star for good luck and the star for being persuasive are part of my life's theme. In that sense, I don't think it's necessarily the case that I'm not suited for it.

Iwana:
I felt like the stars Hakkaku Umeda-san has are invincible.

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, I am invincible. Because I'm a person who is lucky their whole life.

Iwana:
I imagine the results of this vary completely depending on the client. Is there ever a case where it's truly better to just quit if what you want to do and the stars you were born with are complete opposites?

Hakkaku Umeda:
You can go ahead and do it if you want, but I would first tell you that it probably won't work out.
Ultimately, if you're doing a job that doesn't utilize your stars—and I've been there myself—it's even more so. I do say things like that.
I'd tell you that it's fine, but you'll probably find it exhausting halfway through. I think that happens naturally.

Iwana:
I assume you had your fortune told before you became a fortune teller. If you were the one reading your own fortune back then, what would you say to yourself?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, I would definitely tell myself that I am absolutely not cut out for working at a supermarket.

Iwana:
Oh, I see. In what way are you not cut out for it?

Hakkaku Umeda:
First of all, in terms of work, I have the 'Emperor' star. As I mentioned earlier, it's a star for leading people, so I'd tell myself there's no way someone like that is suited for being a supermarket clerk.
So, if you're in a higher position, like a store manager, that's fine, but if you're just a low-level employee, I'd definitely tell you to quit.
Also, I'd tell myself to go to shrines. My star of intuition and my method for opening up luck involve visiting shrines.
I hadn't been going before that, but I started going once I began studying fortune-telling.

Iwana:
Do people each have their own power spots or lucky spots? That's the first time I've heard of that. Is there anything else you think you'd be saying?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I could definitely tell myself that I should talk a lot more.
Back in the day, well, when I was at the supermarket, it wasn't really a situation where I could talk anyway.
Basically, I was the type who didn't really want to talk to people.
Well, those three things. Also, since I've been lucky my whole life—if anything, I've been even luckier for these past 10 years—I might say that now is the time to make a change.

Iwana:
In the sense of being lucky your whole life, have there been any times when you weren't lucky?

Hakkaku Umeda:
For starters, my atopic dermatitis hasn't healed, so in that sense, I'm not lucky. Also, my uric acid levels seem to be high, and my parents' are high too.
It's genetic, so even if I exercise normally, it stays high, so I do feel that part is a bit unlucky.
Other than that, hmm... I feel like the fact that high school didn't suit me was also quite unlucky.
I think I'm the type of person who isn't suited for group classes in the first place, judging by this. I guess that's about it.

Iwana:
If you had heard these fortune-telling results back when you were truant, would anything have changed?

Hakkaku Umeda:
If I had, I probably wouldn't have gone to university. Judging by this, I'd say, 'Maybe you should just keep doing what you're doing.'
I'd tell myself that.
Ultimately, I had just been drifting through life until then.
In short, I had only been doing what my parents told me to do, so in that sense, I would tell myself that it's better to do what you want to do yourself.

Iwana:
Does the keyword 'fortune-telling' resonate with you from back then as well?

Hakkaku Umeda:
I've liked it since elementary school. Back then, I actually loved blood type fortune-telling and horoscope fortune-telling, even though I'm a guy. In that sense, I feel like it might have been a good fit for me.

Iwana:
I see, your parents liked fortune-telling, didn't they?

Hakkaku Umeda:
Well, my parents liked it, but I don't think they were the direct reason I started liking fortune-telling.
I just had them buy me books, and that's how I came to like it. It's true that they bought them for me because they liked it, but they weren't the direct cause, probably.

Iwana:
That concludes the interview, but if there's anything else you wanted to talk about...

Hakkaku Umeda:
I think there are many people out there struggling just like I was. I hope those people see this article.

Iwana:
This is a similar question, but I ask everyone for any final words they'd like to leave, so if you have anything, please go ahead.

Hakkaku Umeda:
If you're struggling, I'd be happy if you didn't hesitate to come to my fortune-telling session.
Time spent worrying is the biggest waste. You should ask sooner rather than later.

Afterword

Thank you very much, Hakkaku Umeda!

I have spoken with fortune tellers several times before, but what I felt while talking with Hakkaku Umeda this time was an image of "reality."

I have the impression that people are quite polarized between those who incorporate fortune-telling into their daily lives and those who do not, but perhaps using fortune-telling in daily life is a way to live with one's feet on the ground.

I also really like fortune-telling. Since it puts invisible things into words, perhaps it provides a sense of security.
I had the image that fortune-telling was something for "escaping from reality," but
as the words "I'm happy to hear you say you'll try it" suggested, there is also fortune-telling meant to connect to reality.
I see, perhaps fortune-telling, which has existed since long ago, was originally meant to teach us how to act in response to the future we see...?

I feel like I used to use fortune-telling to be satisfied with what I learned and to affirm my past and present self.
Connecting fortune-telling to reality and actually changing the environment surrounding oneself—I thought that was a wonderful way to incorporate it.
Thank you for reading today as well ❀

[Interview, Editing, Afterword: Iwana]

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