The Latest on the Surprisingly Deep World of License Plates

Why is “358” so popular that it has to be entered into a lottery?

2951.”

This is the license plate number that a FRIDAY reporter recently applied for at the “Preferred Number Reservation Center. Do you know why we chose this number? Sometimes the numbers on license plates that we see in our daily lives actually contain the thoughts of drivers.

The latest ranking of popular license plate numbers is published by the National Automobile License Plate Council: number 3 refers mainly to standard passenger cars, number 5 to small passenger cars, and kei/five to mini cars. Under the current rules, any number can be chosen as long as it is not designated as a desired number for the lottery.

For 3-number cars, the most popular number is the simple “1. On the other hand, for compact and mini cars, “2525 (nico nico)” and “1122 (good married couple)” are the most popular numbers. Automotive journalist Kumiko Kato explains.

In the past, the number 3 car had a strong image of luxury cars and foreign cars. In fact, there were many of them, but even now, when the system has changed and the number of mass-market cars has increased, there are still many owners of number 3 cars who value their status, a vestige of those days. This has led to the popularity of “single-digit license plate numbers,” which stand out from the crowd at a glance.

Many 5-digit numbers and mini-cars have family-inspired words such as “1188 (good father, good mother)”. Conversely, none of these family-oriented numbers rank among the three license plate numbers.”

There is one number that is very popular in all categories. That is “358. It appears to be a series of unconnected numbers, but what is the reason for its popularity?

The number 358, which is a combination of “3” and “5,” which symbolize money and fortune in feng shui, and “8,” a lucky number that attracts good fortune, is the strongest number for good fortune and is called an “angel number. This number is called ‘angel number.’ It is probably a good match for the Japanese temperament that likes to carry good luck,” said Mr. Kato.

There are other reasons for the high demand.

There are a certain number of customers who do not specify their desired license plate number at the time of purchase. As a dealer, we do not want to have to deal with bad luck numbers such as ‘4989’ (four painstaking efforts) when they apply for a license plate without a preference. As an option in such cases, dealers sometimes designate ‘358’ at no charge,” said a veteran sales representative working for a dealer in Tokyo.

The numbering system is also evolving.

Due to its popularity, “358” was designated as a desired number for the nationwide lottery in May 2013. The “evolved” type of number is expected to increase in popularity in the future.

We hear that the number 3588, which adds an “8” to the “358,” is attracting an increasing number of applicants. It is the most powerful Feng Shui number with an increased number of good luck numbers. The number “8888” with four “8 “s in a row is also quite popular, but it too is designated by lottery. The number “8008”, which consists of “00” as the symbol “∞” meaning infinity, sandwiched between “8”, is also in high demand as an auspicious number with a good omen that the lucky number will continue forever. The symmetrical appearance is another reason for its popularity.

Numbers reflecting hobbies, preferences, and occupations are also on the rise.

For example, a yakiniku enthusiast might choose the number 29 to match his or her favorite word, or a butcher store owner might choose 1129 (good meat) to bring good luck in his or her business. Even celebrities who are big eaters prefer the number “29. Recently, with the increasing popularity of saunas, we have seen an increase in the number of customers requesting ‘1137’ (good sauna),” said a veteran salesperson.

For those readers who understand the meaning behind the numbers at the beginning of this article, “FUKU” (good luck) to you!

From the April 17/24, 2026 issue of FRIDAY