Omikuji — what it is and why you need it

What is omikuji and why do you need it

Omikuji is a paper slip with a fortune that you get at a shrine or temple for a small donation: usually you shake a box with numbered sticks, draw one, and take a slip from the corresponding drawer. It shows your overall fortune level and advice on specific topics: health, studies, travel, love, work.

• 大吉 (daikichi) — great blessing, the best result.
• 吉 (kichi) — just good luck, a good ordinary result.
• 凶 (kyō) — bad luck, a reason to be careful.
• 大凶 (daikyō) — great curse, a rare and most worrying result.

Good ones are taken, bad ones are tied

A good fortune is traditionally taken home as a reminder. A bad one is tied to a special rack or tree branch on the shrine grounds: it's believed that this leaves the misfortune at the shrine, not bringing it home. Drawing omikuji again on the same day to get a better result is not customary.

Name and characters: おみくじ

御神籤 — the gods' lot

The full writing is 御神籤 or 御御籤: 御 is a polite respectful prefix, 神 means 'god, kami', 籤 means 'lot'. In everyday use, it's almost always written simply in kana as おみくじ — the combination with the rare character 籤 has fallen out of daily writing.

御 — значение: to govern, august — онъёми: ギョ、ゴ — кунъёми: おん-、お-、み- — 12 штрих(ов). 御 — a respectful prefix before a word, indicating a connection to the divine or high status: the same character in 御所 'gosho', the imperial residence.

Write 御 along the guides — the app will check the stroke order.

Where to draw and how much it costs

They are sold at almost any active shrine and at many Buddhist temples, usually near the omamori shop — the price is symbolic, from a hundred yen. Especially many people draw them in the first days of the New Year: it's believed that the fortune drawn then sets the tone for the whole year.

Why fortunes are not passed on

• Giving away someone else's omikuji is not customary: the fortune is considered personal and belongs to the person who drew it.
• A good one can be photographed and shown to friends — this doesn't violate the ritual.
• A bad one is better not to take home or keep as a souvenir, but to tie on the grounds according to local rules.

FAQ

What is omikuji?

A paper slip with a fortune that you draw at a shrine or temple for a small fee. It shows your fortune level and advice on health, studies, travel, love, and work.

Why do you need omikuji?

To find out your fortune for the near future and get specific advice on various areas of life. It's especially popular at the beginning of the year — it's believed to set the tone for the whole year ahead.

How do you write 'omikuji' in Japanese?

Fully 御神籤, but in everyday life almost always in kana as おみくじ. 御 is a polite prefix, 神 means 'god', 籤 means 'lot' — a rare character that is almost never seen outside this word.

What does omikuji mean?

A fortune level from '大吉', great blessing, to '大凶', great curse, plus advice on topics. A bad result is traditionally tied on the shrine grounds, not taken home.

Where can you find omikuji in Japan?

At almost any active shrine and at many Buddhist temples, usually near the omamori charm shop. The price is symbolic — from a hundred yen per slip.

Why would a character draw omikuji?

Often as a short scene at the beginning of the year or before an important event: the character draws a slip and reacts to the result. The detail is used to foreshadow luck or trouble in the plot.

Sources

• Jinja Honcho: Association of Shinto Shrines of Japan
• Kotobank: おみくじ