About Omamori

Omamori sales table at a major shrine. 

Omamori are Japanese good luck charms. Some people believe they get their power from the blessings of a temple's or shrine's priest, and others believe that fragments of a god reside within them. Whether or not you believe any of it, they deserve respect.

For me personally, I don't believe I'm any luckier with them, but I do think they've made me a little smarter and helped me think about all the places they've come from. Often shrines and temples will specialize in prayers for certain kinds of things, like success in business or love, and omamori often reflect this.

Omamori typically come in little bags, and within them are wood and paper, marked with inscriptions that give them their powers. Other omamori are simply blessed. Most of the omamori in my collection are suzu, or bell, omamori. I like the metal and wood charms the best. But if I can't get a metal or wood one, I'll settle for the more traditional bag style.

Many of the bag style omamori get their designs from the Nishijin district in Kyoto, and they are made to look similar to the kimono cloth woven there. Of course, omamori fabric can't all be made in Kyoto anymore, but that's the origin of the fabric style. The bag is called a nishiki bukuro (錦袋) and you can find the traditional flowers, demons, and crest (kamon) patterns, as well as the more modern cartoon character omamori.

Bell Omamori use bells because of the bells sacred position in Shintoism. When one prays at a Shinto shrine, one tosses a coin into a collection box, claps their hands, and rings a bell to draw the attention of the god or goddess. I think that on a tiny scale, the same sort of attention grabbing is happening when the bell on an omamori rings.

Omamori are believed to be potent and have powers for one year after they are purchased from the shrine or temple. Often people will bring old omamori back to the shrine for recycling. For collecting purposes, I keep old omamori. (I also don't live in Japan, so it would be a real nuisance!)

Here are some common omamori types:

Fertility 子宝祈願

Fame 芸能

Healthy household 家内安全

Passing entrance exams 合格祈願

Protecting from mishaps 厄よけ

Relationship help 縁結び

Safe child birth 安産祈願

Sports

Safe driving 交通安全

Wealth 金運

Omamori are also frequently dedicated to certain Shinto and Buddhist deities. The word "omamori" means "honorable protection." I don't know when omamori started being used. If I find out, you will be the first to know. But I know protective amulets have a long history in Japan, and it wouldn't surprise me if omamori dated back to over a thousand years ago.

I am planning on making a page on Shintoism in general, but until then, I highly recommend this webpage.