Omikuji (Fortune Slips)

Omikuji are fortune-telling paper slips available at most Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. For a small fee (typically 100-200 yen), visitors draw a random slip from a box or cylinder. The slip contains a general fortune rating along with specific predictions for various aspects of life such as health, business, academics, love, travel, and finding lost items.

The fortune ratings range from dai-kichi (great blessing) at the best to dai-kyo (great curse) at the worst, with several gradations in between. The exact hierarchy can vary by shrine. If a visitor draws a favorable fortune, they may keep it as a lucky charm. If the fortune is unfavorable, the traditional practice is to tie the paper slip to a designated rack or tree at the shrine, symbolically leaving the bad luck behind. Some people interpret this as asking the kami to reverse the misfortune.

Omikuji at some shrines come in creative formats — some are attached to small figurines, some are printed in multiple languages for international visitors, and some offer specialized themes (romance-only omikuji are popular at en-musubi shrines). Despite their playful nature, omikuji originated as a serious divination tool used by shrine priests to determine the will of the kami on important matters.