Omikuji is Japanese style fortune telling, done by drawing fortune slips at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples. Each omikuji contains a written fortune, advice or prediction.
Table of Contents
- What is Omikuji (おみくじ)?
- Difference between Omikuji at Shrines and Temples
- Types of Omikuji and How to Draw
- How to Read Omikuji: Level of Luck from Good to Bad
- What to do with your Omikuji?
What is Omikuji (おみくじ)?
おみくじ (Omikuji), also written as 御神籤, is a Japanese fortune slip bought at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples in Japan. The word “Omikuji” is a combination of the honorific 御 (O) and 神籤 (Mikuji), which means fortune slip. Each Omikuji contains a written advice, fortune or prediction. The fortunes come in different categories of luck, from good to bad. The predictions can include predictions about various aspects of life, such as love, health, studies, or work.
Omikuji can be drawn any time of the year, but many Japanese people do it early in the year, especially during 初詣 (Hatsumode), the first shrine or temple visit of the year. This way, they can know their fortune for the year. If it is a good fortune, it makes them hopeful that the year will go well; if it is a bad fortune, they can be prepared and take steps to ward off the misfortunes during the year.
In the past, Omikuji was a method used to understand God’s will, especially when it comes to important religious ritual matters. It was foremostly used to select the main representative of a festival, to find someone who fits the will of the Gods. Today, it is a widely loved Japanese tradition for fortune telling.
Difference between Omikuji at Temples and Shrines
Omikuji can mainly be found at Shinto shrines, 神社 (Jinja) and Buddhist temples, お寺 (Otera). They can also be found at souvenir shops or at the roadside at shrine towns and temple towns, like Kamakura’s Komachi-dori or Asakusa’s Nakamise Shopping Street.
Did you know there are differences between the contents of Omikuji found at shrines and temples?
It is said that up till the Edo period, shrines and temples used the same Omikuji. However, after the government ordered that Buddhist and Shinto be worshipped separately, Shinto shrines began to handle Omikuji differently from temples.
Omikuji at Buddhist Temples
Omikuji at Buddhist temples are said to have been introduced along with Buddhism from China, so they usually include Chinese poetry. Additionally, Omikuji at temples are generally written in 漢文 (Kanbun), classical Chinese characters.
Here is an example of a Chinese poetry:
七宝浮図塔 The seven jeweled pagoda
高峰頂上安 Rests high on the mountain peak
衆人皆仰望 Everyone looks up and admires it
莫作等閑看 But don’t merely look at its appearance
Omikuji at Shinto Shrines
Around the middle of the Meiji period, Omikuji at Shinto shrines started to include classic Japanese poems, 和歌 (Waka). This stemmed from the belief that Kami composes Waka, and so they are included in Omikuji fortunes.
Here is an example of a Waka:
冬かれて休みしときに深山木は花咲く春の待たれるかな
(Fuyu karate yasumishi toki ni miyama ki wa hana saku haru no matareru kana)
- The trees deep in the mountain wither and rest in winter and wait for spring to bloom.
Types of Omikuji and How to Draw Omikuji
In Japan, there are 2 main types of Omikuji, both having different ways of drawing. There’s the Omikuji drawn at the counter using a wooden cylinder and numbered stick, and the simpler drawing of a fortune slip from a box containing many Omikuji.
① Wooden Cylinder and Numbered Stick Omikuji
A staff member will hand you a wooden cylinder that contains various numbered sticks. Shake the cylinder, and let out a numbered stick from a hole at the top of the cylinder. Pass the stick to the staff in exchange for your Omikuji. Some places may be DIY, with the wooden cylinder out in the open and drawers for you to retrieve your own fortune after shaking out a numbered stick. Don’t forget to pay the fee for drawing the Omikuji.
② Lottery Box Omikuji
Many Omikujis are kept in a box with a hole at the top for you to put your hand through and draw an Omikuji. Remember to pay the fee in the money box, usually in front of the box.
Omikuji fees vary from 100 Yen to 500 Yen. There are different types of Omikuji as well, some are for predictions and fortune about specific matters like money, career, or even love which is indicated by the words 縁結び (Enmusubi). There are also Omikuji that come with lucky charms like a phone strap or a gold leaf embedded in a charm.
How to Read Omikuji: Level of Luck from Good to Bad
The fun about Omikuji is the excitement for what result you will get, whether good or bad luck. Even good or bad luck comes in a range, from excellent luck to slight luck, and bad luck to worst luck. You are probably curious about the levels of luck from good to bad.
- Good luck is indicated with the Kanji 吉 (Kichi).
- Bad luck is indicated with the Kanji 凶 (Kyou).
It is important to keep in mind the principles of fortune telling when reading your Omikuji. To put it simply, “Even if it is good luck, if you do not do your best, it will become bad luck; and even if it is bad luck, if you do your best, it will become good luck.” In other words, the results are based on your actions.
With that in mind, here are the levels of luck for Omikuji from best to worst:
- 大吉 (Daikichi) / Big Luck : Excellent luck, the best reading. Make an effort for this fortune to come true.
- 吉 (Kichi) / Good Luck : Second best after Daikichi. A lucky and fortunate reading, with effort your luck will improve.
- 中吉 (Chuukichi) / Medium Luck : Moderate luck. Put in some more effort than for Daikichi and Kichi.
- 小吉 (Shokichi) / Small Luck : Slight luck. Enjoy the small fortunes you encounter.
- 末吉 (Suekichi) / Luck to Come : The lowest tier of good luck. Send a hopeful message that things will get better.
- 凶 (Kyou) / Bad Luck : Bad luck. Be wary and watch out for your actions, work to improve yourself and fortune will come in the future.
- 大凶 (Daikyou) / Big Bad Luck : Very bad luck, the most unlucky reading. However, since this is the bottom, there is nowhere to go up. Some people say that considering how rare this reading is, it is actually good luck to get it.
Most shrines and temples use these 7 levels of Omikuji readings, although there are some shrines and temples that use other words.
How to Translate Your Omikuji
Luck levels on Omikuji are simple enough to read once you know the meaning of the words, but underneath the luck level is the true substance of the Omikuji - the details of your fortune. An Omikuji usually contains short details about your fortune separated into different categories.
What your Omikuji contains depends on the shrine or temple. Here’s an example of some fortunes or predictions that may appear:
- 願望 (Ganbou) - Aspiration, Wish
- 縁談 (Endan) - Marriage Proposal
- 恋愛 (Renai) - Love
- 病気 (Byouki) - Sickness
- 健康 (Kenkou) - Health
- 出産 (Shussan) - Birth
- 転居 (Tenkyo) - Changing Residence
- 仕事 (Shigoto) - Work
- 学問 (Gakumon) - Academics
- 旅立 (Tabitatsu) - Trips, Excursions
Nowadays, using the camera translation on your smartphone makes it easy to translate Omikuji. You can also look-up the entire Omikuji transcript online for more accurate translations. Search “shrine name in Japanese + おみくじ”, or if it is a temple Omikuji then “おみくじ + number written at the top in Japanese”, and use Google Translate to translate to your language.
What to do with your Omikuji?
Many temples or shrines have an area set up with a pole, rope, or tree for people to tie up their Omikuji. If your fortune reading is a good one, you can choose to keep it with you, or tie it up which is said to enhance the good luck. If it is a bad luck Omikuji, it is believed that tying it up will purge the bad luck and convert it into good fortune. There are also people who bring it home to remind themselves of what to be careful of. Different people have different beliefs, so it’s up to you what to do with your Omikuji.
To Close
Omikuji, aka Japanese fortune telling, is a fun and interesting way to experience Japanese tradition and culture. Many people do Omikuji at the beginning of the year for Hatsumode, but there are also plenty of people who do them all year round. Reading and understanding your Omikuji is also a fun and interesting way to study Japanese. Have you checked your fortune for the year?
