Description
Japanese Shinto religious good luck charm for success in business. Items such as this are called
omamori or ofuda in Japan where they are used to invoke the
protection and aid of spiritual forces associated with the Shinto and
Buddhist religions. Shinto is the native religion of Japan and an
animist system supporting a pantheon of innumerable major and minor gods.
Omamori (lit "honorable protector") are typically simple bits of wood, paper or cloth holding a written prayer
and/or the
name of a patron deity, and made holy through consecration by a priest.
Omamori are normally kept safe within special pouches called omamori bukuro
which are then carried or worn by the believer. Other types of Omamori
include traditional
hamaya arrows as well as modern items such as
omamori stickers for your car,
omamori keychains and even
omamori phone straps to hang on your mobile phone!
Ofuda are similar
to omamori though the former are typically made of wood and are designed
for domestic use, being displayed at the entrance to a home or held within
special family shrines called
kamidana (god shelf).
Omamori and ofuda are commonly replaced at the start of each year as
the power of these charms is thought to be only temporary and subject to
diminish over time. Below is a list of the most popular types of Japanese
omamori (click link to see available listings):
About the Listed Item
Brand new Shinto omamori designed to help ensure success in
business. This particular type of omamori is called hamaya
in Japanese which translates as "demon-breaking arrow". Hamaya
arrows are commonly purchased at new year by visitors to Shinto shrines
who use the arrows to ward away evil forces and bring good fortune into their
home or business. This small (please see size information below) hamaya
is sized for tabletop display and is mounted on a special wooden plaque and
stand. Japanese writing on the plaque and stand read Shizuoka-ken
Gokoku jinja shobai hanjou omamori which translates as "Shizuoka prefecture
Gokoku shrine business success protector". This particular talisman comes
from Shizuoka-ken Gokoku
Shinto shrine (jinja) located in Shizuoka city, Japan near Mt. Fuji.
This particular shrine is the official shrine of Shizuoka prefecture. Please click
here to see more religious charms, amulets and talismans!
Size:
Height (including wooden base): 6.6 inches (17.0 centimeters)
Width of wooden base: 1.6 inches (4.0 centimeters)
Weight: 1.0 ounces (29 grams)
Click
here
to see more religious charms, amulets and talismans!
Click
here
to see other Shinto items!
Click
here
to see additional treasures from Japan!
More about the Shinto religion
Shinto
is one of the two major religions of Japan (the other is Buddhism). Shinto
is often considered to be the native religion
of Japan, and is as old as Japan itself. The name Shinto means "the way
of the gods." Shinto is a pantheistic religion, in which many
thousands of major and minor gods are thought to exist. The Japanese have
built thousands of shrines throughout the country to honor and worship these
gods. Some shrines are huge and are devoted to important deities while
other shrines are small and may be easily missed when strolling along roads in
the countryside.
Shinto gods are called kami. Kami are thought to have
influence on human affairs, and for this reason many Japanese make regular
pilgrimage to community shrines in order to offer prayers to local kami.
The act of prayer involves approaching the shrine structure, passing through the
gate-like torii, cleansing the hands and mouth
with water and possibly ascending stairs to the main entrance of the shrine.
Usually without entering the shrine the worshipper will throw some coins into a
stone or wooden collection box and then rattle the suzu bell which is at
the top of a long hemp rope. The worshiper grabs hold of the rope and shakes it
back and forth causing the copper bell at the top to rattle. This is thought to
get the attention of the shrine god. The worshipper then bows twice, claps his
or her hands twice and then bows again. In addition, the worshipper may clasp
their hands together in silent prayer. Shintoism and Buddhism have managed to
find a comfortable coexistence in Japan. Evidence of this harmonious relationship is
found in the fact that that most Japanese are married in a Shinto shrine,
but buried by a Buddhist priest.
product code: INV-0000074_04 REL-0000352
category code: (sacred_object)
ship code: L1650
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