#3067

Omikuji - Take Only Good Luck With You

Try Omikuji Fortunes at Shrines and Temples

Omikuji - おみくじ - are fortune papers from temples and shrines that offer advice for your health, career, and good luck in general. There are positive ones - marked kichi 吉 - and negative ones - marked kyou 凶. The most positive one is the daikichi 大吉, the big fortune.

You can find omikuji at both temples and shrines. At Senso-ji temple in Asakusa you shake a box full of sticks. The stick you draw shows the number of your omikuji. Take a paper from the drawer with the corresponding number and see if you are 吉 lucky. Other temples and shrines might give you a random omikuji or let you draw one.

Senso-ji's omikuji offer Japanese and English advice. Part of it reads like a poem. My first omikuji this year was a regular fortune 吉 with interesting imagery: "The big fish will grow up to be a giant bird and fly up to the sky, making so many violent high waves." There is also advice in specific categories such as illness, lost items, and travel such as "To start a trip is well, with no harm."

Since my omikuji was a positive one I kept it. It is a thin piece of paper you can keep in your wallet as a reminder of your visit. Had I drawn a negative 凶 omikuji, I would have folded it and tied it to the tree or line where the bad luck ones are collected. That way you leave bad luck behind at the shrine or temple and only take the good luck with you.

I am happy with my regular fortune and like to believe I can catch that big fish as my omikuji suggests: "When you throw a fishing rod, you can catch a chance to get a fine career like to get a giant fish."

http://www.senso-ji.jp

http://www.kameidotenjin.or.jp/english/

David image

David

Germany

David's other advice

Tokyo walks: Kuramae images

Tokyo walks: Kuramae

Come to Kuramae if you like craftsmanship and things that are made well, things made by hand. And come if you like quality coffee, tea, and chocolate. This is a small neighborhood. It is resident…

Tokyo walks: Asakusa to Kuramae images

Tokyo walks: Asakusa to Kuramae

Walking is a great way to explore Tokyo. Go for a walk and keep your eyes open. Start your walk in Asakusa at the famous red Kaminarimon Gate that marks the entrance to Senso-ji Temple. If you ha…

Quiet Retreat at the Seaside in Setouchi images

Quiet Retreat at the Seaside in Setouchi

Setonaikai is the Japanese Inland Sea and Setouchi City in Okayama Prefecture faces this beautiful part of the coast in West Japan. When you visit Hiroshima or Himeji Castle, extend your trip and spe…

Beautiful Places to Visit in Japan images

Beautiful Places to Visit in Japan

TripAdvisor published a list of 20 beautiful spots to visit in Japan that are not so well known yet. Let this list inspire you when you plan your next trip - there are islands, forests, temples, and …

Mt Fuji Views from Enoshima Island near Kamakura images

Mt Fuji Views from Enoshima Island near Kamakura

Enoshima island is a fun destination for a day trip from Tokyo anytime of the year. You can see the island and its lighthouse from Kamakura further along the Shonan coast.The lighthouse is called…

Fuji Ramen - Fresh Noodles in Tonkotsu Soup images

Fuji Ramen - Fresh Noodles in Tonkotsu Soup

Fuji Ramen in Asakusa serves tasty ramen in tsukemen with tonkotsu base soup and noodles made fresh at the shop.This shop is special because it makes its own noodles. You can see the small worksh…

You might also like

Tatami smells good !!! images

Tatami smells good !!!

Tatami is a very traditional floor mat, which is a symbolic item indispensable for a Japanese style room; so called "Wa-shitsu", and is also considered as an official cultural gadget necessarily used…

Masa image

Masa

Kaminari-okoshi: Asakusa Thunder Crackers images

Kaminari-okoshi: Asakusa Thunder Crackers

Kaminari-okoshi (雷おこし) are traditional Japanese sweets. Crispy rice is mixed with sugar and syrup, pressed down into a flat shape and cut into squares. Often there are some peanuts mixed into it,…

David image

David

How to be Polite in a Restaurant in Japan? images

How to be Polite in a Restaurant in Japan?

These are not just little finger towels placed neatly next to your plate for conveniently wiping stray food off of hands and fingers...these Oshibori are almost like an appetizer to the meal itself. …

 image

Ningyo-yaki: Little Baked Doll Cakes images

Ningyo-yaki: Little Baked Doll Cakes

Ningyo-yaki (人形焼) is very popular in Tokyo Asakusa where you can watch them being baked. This is one of my favorite Japanese sweets and a very good omiyage gift. Ningyo is the Japanese word …

David image

David

Azalea: Tsutsuji - Spring Flowers in Japan images

Azalea: Tsutsuji - Spring Flowers in Japan

Sakura is famous in the spring, but after the cherry blossom time in Japan another flower takes over. In April azaleas colour Tokyo with their bright flowers.When I read Chiara's post "Local Secr…

David image

David

Hakone's Hidden Wonder: My Favourite Temple in Japan images

Hakone's Hidden Wonder: My Favourite Temple in Japan

Daiyuzan Saijo-ji is a breathtaking Buddhist temple that was built more than 615 years ago. Although it is still frequented by devout worshipers from all across Japan, it remains one of the less talk…

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer