1.Is Japanese life affected by superstitions?
I think Japanese life is affected by superstitions. Japanese people believe superstitions well when we hold a special ceremony. For example, we avoid performing the last offices on a day of "tomobiki". Since it is regarded as taking friends along the great beyond by performing the last offices on "tomobiki", so it is unlucky to hold a funeral on the day. And one more thing is a wedding ceremony. Many people tend to like holding a wedding ceremony on a day of "taian". It is believed that all of what we perform are good on the day, a wedding ceremony, inauguration and new beginning in particularly. Many Japanese like to believe in omens frequently.

2.What superstitions do you practice? Which ones? Why?
I write "hito(person)" of Chinese character on the center of my plam three times and gulp down it when I feel nervous before I make a speech in front of people. The reason why I want to boost my self-esteem, feel at ease and draw on the strength of somesting. It is the same as taking a lucky charm when we take an examination . In addition, since it is the superstition that it is better known from my childhood, and it is a kind of a charm.