Blood Type = Personality in Japan?
If you were born in the West, chances are that you don’t know what your blood type is. Unless, of course, you work in healthcare or you had an operation at some point in your life. My point is, most people you pass on the streets of London have no bloody (pun intended) clue what their blood type is, and also see no need to find out what it is. Japan, however, has a very different take, where most people not only know their own blood type but actively ask each other what their blood type is.
Blood Type Horoscope
Perhaps horoscope is the wrong word, but in Japan, people believe that certain blood type groups have certain traits. In case you have forgotten Year 7 biology, or never learned because you were just snoring through the lessons, here’s a quick reminder of the different blood types: A, B, AB and O. There are negative and positive too, but in Japan, people are only asking your letter, as the letter is what determines your personality (supposedly).
Blood Type A (A型)
If your blood type is A, in Japan, you would say that you are ‘A-gata’ (A型). Blood type A’s are seen as ‘majime’ (a nuanced word where the closest translations would be ‘sombre’, ‘serious’, maybe even ‘studious’): hardworking, stick to the rules, color-in-the-lines types.
They are understood to be neat and cautious too and are often thought to be careful with their hands. For example, at my previous job in Japan, one of my colleagues needed help packing goods and called for all the blood type As on the floor to help her with the packing!
That is how seamlessly the whole ‘blood type personalities’ are ingrained in Japanese culture, with people very openly making (albeit small) decisions based on these assumptions.
So, in a nutshell, if you are a blood type A, Japanese people would think that you are neat, tidy, hard-working and earnest (perhaps to the point where it comes across as annoying or boring).
Is it perhaps a coincidence that the most prevalent blood types in Japan are As? Food for thought!
Blood Type B (B型)
People in Japan view blood type B as the polar opposite of blood type A. The word most commonly used to describe blood type Bs’ personality is: mypace (マイペース). And no mypace is not a spelling mistake of myspace: it’s supposed to mean ‘my pace’, as in you do things at your own pace, at the beat of your own drum.
Whilst blood types As are viewed as rule followers, Bs are viewed as those who do things in their own time. In a positive light, they are viewed as ‘free-spirits’, and in a negative light, ‘selfish’. At my previous job, people who were blood type Bs were called ‘bakudan’, which means ‘bomb’. This underscores that some Japanese people feel that blood type B people are unpredictable.
In a nutshell, if you are blood type B, Japanese people may think that you are free-spirited and artistic, but most of all, they would think that you dance to the rhythm of your own heart, not minding what your surrounding is doing or saying.
Blood Type AB (AB型)
Ah, AB. My personal favourite. So, as discussed above, Japanese people feel that blood types A and B are polar opposites to each other. So what happens when you mix two opposing personalities together? You get an AB, or as Japanese people say, someone who is two-faced! Of course, two-faced does have negative connotations, and that is perhaps why blood type AB is the most controversial blood group in Japan.
Some Japanese people believe that blood type AB is very complex as you have both traits of an A and B in one person, so it’s like two conflicting sides constantly battling internally. On one hand, you have turmoil, but on the other hand, you have genius. Genius, talent, eccentricity – all of these traits are associated with blood type AB.
In a nutshell, if you are blood type AB, Japanese people may think that you are either a genius or madman! They say there is only a thin line between genius and madness, right? No, no – all jokes aside, Japanese people may actually be impressed if you are an AB, as they are the rarest blood types in Japan too, so there is a sort of specialness reserved for the AB type.
(If you check out your favourite mangas, chances are that your favourite characters have the AB blood type – because yes, manga artists not only divulge their characters’ birthdays but their blood types too!)
Blood Type O (O型)
The word most commonly used for blood type Os in Japan is ‘odayaka’ (穏やか). The translation for this word is ‘calm’, but I would even go a step further and say it’s closer to ‘peaceful’ or ‘zen-like-state-of-mind’.
While blood type As can be seen as high-strung and anxious, blood types Os are chill, just happily plodding along, enjoying the journey rather than focusing on the destination. Another word used to describe them is ‘oozappa’ (大雑把), which translates to ‘rough’ or ‘broad’.
More correctly, I would say ‘the types not to color within the lines’. This freedom sounds lovely, but to look at it from a negative perspective, it could indicate that you are lazy or half-hearted about matters.
I always thought it was interesting that blood type Os are seen as accomodating and ‘open-to-all’, when they are indeed the universal donors. Personally, I think I would equate Os to Hufflepuffs.
So, in a nutshell, if you are a blood type O, Japanese people may think you are easy-going and happy-go-lucky (perhaps a bit too laid-back at times).
Many Japanese mangas, television shows and variety programs make references to blood types. In fact, if you are on a dating site in Japan, chances are you might see someone online who make a reference to their own blood type, as many people subscribe to the idea that some blood types are more compatible or more incompatible with others than some. And as I mentioned here and there in the article, blood types are also considered and utilized in the workplace too.
It’s definitely an interesting concept, to say the least, but I’m sure most people in the West won’t buy into this. But then again, we buy into star signs, and who’s to say that isn’t just as nutty and absurd as blood types dictating your whole personality?!
Either way, whilst experts unanimously agree that blood types have no correlations to your personality, I would say it’s still an interesting conversation starter in Japan. I always like to play, ‘guess my blood type’ in Japan – 9/10, they get it wrong.
Still, it’s an easy and fun conversation topic for sure (just like star signs), so hopefully, this article has shed some light on the matter and you can now go and have a friendly conversation with your local barista about blood types!
How do you like the blood type horoscope in Japan? What blood type do you relate yourself to? Let us know in the comments below!
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