What Is Mitsuki-Matagi? When the 49th Day Spans Three Months, How to Tell, and Ending Mourning on the 35th Day
When discussing the date of the 49th-day memorial, an older relative may say, "It'll be mitsuki-matagi, so let's finish on the 35th day." Mitsuki-matagi ("spanning three months") is a Japanese custom of avoiding a 49th-day service that falls in the third calendar month counting the month of death. This article explains what mitsuki-matagi means, how to tell whether your case applies, a list by month of death of "from this date on, it's mitsuki-matagi", and what to do if it applies.
Mitsuki-matagi comes from a play on words
Mitsuki-matagi (also mitsuki-goshi) means the 49th-day memorial service falling in the third month counting the month of death. For example, someone dies in April and the 49th day falls in June.
The reason it's avoided is a pun. "Forty-nine" (shijūku) sounds like shijū ku, "constant suffering", and "three months" (mitsuki) sounds like mi ni tsuku, "to cling to oneself". Together they read as "constant suffering will cling to you", which has long been considered unlucky. It's a custom observed mainly in parts of Kansai, Tōkai and some other regions.
How to tell: count the month of death as month 1
First work out the date of the 49th day (48 days after the date of death; see How to count the 49th day), then see which month it is counting from the month of death. The month of death is month 1 and the next month is month 2; if the 49th day falls in month 3, it's mitsuki-matagi.
| Date of death | 49th day | Month | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 April 2026 | 31 May (Sun) | Month 2 | Not mitsuki-matagi |
| 14 April 2026 | 1 June (Mon) | Month 3 | Mitsuki-matagi |
| 30 April 2026 | 17 June (Wed) | Month 3 | Mitsuki-matagi |
| 13 May 2026 | 30 June (Tue) | Month 2 | Not mitsuki-matagi |
| 14 May 2026 | 1 July (Wed) | Month 3 | Mitsuki-matagi |
One day's difference can change the verdict. The difference between 13 and 14 April is whether the 49th day is 31 May or 1 June. The cut-off shifts with month lengths (30 or 31 days) and the shortness of February, so when counting on a calendar, check carefully day by day.
Mitsuki-matagi applies to more than half of deaths
The 49th day is 48 days after death, and a month is about 30 days, so 48 days easily passes right through the next month and into the one after. If death is in the first half of the month, the 49th day stays within the next month, but in the second half it almost certainly reaches the month after that. As a result, about 60% of the 365 days of the year lead to mitsuki-matagi (211 days in 2026).
Since it applies to so many people, it's natural that many temples see no need to change the service significantly because of mitsuki-matagi. Even if some relatives do care, telling them "it applies to about 60% of people" can calm the discussion.
"From this date on, it's mitsuki-matagi" by month of death
Here's the date in each month from which a death leads to mitsuki-matagi (calculated with the 2026 calendar). If you count from the day before death, as in parts of Kansai, the 49th day is one day earlier, so the cut-off moves one day later.
| Month of death | Usual method | Some parts of Kansai |
|---|---|---|
| January | From the 12th (from the 13th in leap years) | From the 13th (from the 14th in leap years) |
| February | From the 12th (from the 13th in leap years) | From the 13th (from the 14th in leap years) |
| March, April, May, June | From the 14th | From the 15th |
| July | From the 15th | From the 16th |
| August, September, October, November | From the 14th | From the 15th |
| December | From the 15th | From the 16th |
In short, dying after the middle of the month almost always means mitsuki-matagi. More than half the days in a month qualify, so it's far from unusual. In January and February the cut-off is earlier because February has only 28 days (29 in leap years). In July and December it's a day later because both that month and the next have 31 days.
3 ways to handle mitsuki-matagi
- 1
Ignore it and hold the service on the 49th day
Mitsuki-matagi is a folk belief, so holding the service on the 49th day as usual is the most common choice. Many sects and temples, including Jōdo Shinshū, say there's no need to worry.
- 2
End mourning on the 35th day
In regions that care, mourning ends on the 35th day without waiting for the 49th. For a death on 30 April, the 49th day is Wednesday 17 June and the 35th day Wednesday 3 June. If the 35th day also falls in month 3, the service is sometimes brought further forward to be held within month 2.
- 3
Bring the service forward into month 2
Hold the 49th-day service early, for example on the last weekend of month 2. For a death on 14 April, the 49th day is Monday 1 June, so holding it on Saturday 30 or Sunday 31 May keeps it in month 2.
Whichever you choose, the spirit of the memorial is the same. It's enough for the chief mourner to decide after hearing the relatives' views and the temple's policy. The timing of interment and of sending return gifts for condolence money (after mourning ends) also follows from this decision.
Enter the date of death in the Memorial Service Dates tool, and it shows whether the 49th day is mitsuki-matagi, from which day of that month a death would be, and the date of the 35th day too. The timing of the 49th day also affects whether the first Obon is this year or next (Deciding the year of the first Obon).
FAQ
- What is mitsuki-matagi?
- It's when the 49th-day memorial service falls in the third month counting the month of death. Some regions avoid it as unlucky because of a pun: shijūku (49) sounds like "constant suffering" and mitsuki (three months) like "clings to you".
- From which date does a death lead to mitsuki-matagi?
- In most months, from the 14th. In July and December from the 15th, and in January and February from the 12th (13th in leap years). If you count from the day before death, as in parts of Kansai, each moves one day later.
- Is it OK not to worry about mitsuki-matagi?
- It's a folk belief born from a play on words, not a Buddhist teaching, so most temples say you don't need to worry. If some relatives care, discuss it in advance and decide, for example, to end mourning on the 35th day.
- With mitsuki-matagi, is it OK to end mourning on the 35th day?
- In regions that care, ending mourning on the 35th day is the usual response. Views differ by temple, so consult your family temple before deciding.
Tools in this article
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