In Sailor Moon, one of the main characters Rei Hino (Sailor Mars), is a Shrine Maiden, and in some of the episodes she sells amulets. I remember watching this episode when I was young and I was very excited to go to Japan and purchase one of these charms!
The Hikawa Shrine in Sailor Moon
Called Omamori, these talismans are sold at Shinto and Buddhist shrines and temples and provide different protection or luck. They contain a prayer written on paper or wood and are contained within a cloth bag. The shrine or temple sell these in return for a donation.
People often hang Omamori from bags, cell phones, cars, and other objects to help protect them or ward off bad luck. One should never open the bag, as this will nullify its power.
Since the charms are designed to absorb the evil and help form a protection, many people bring the charms back to the temple at the end of the year so they can be purified or burned. This ties back to Shinto and Buddhist beliefs of renewal. You should never throw away an Omamori, as its disrespectful to the deity that has been watching over you.
So an Omamori should not really be considered a Souvenir in the traditional sense but instead should be treated with respect.
I have 3 Omamori from Japan. The first one I purchased was the red one. It is a kōtsū-anzen, a protection for travelers (well actually drivers). I got it in Tokyo at Sensō-ji a Buddhist temple in Asakusa district. This was my first time traveling on my own…and I had watched Final Destination the night prior to leaving. (And I’ve always had a fear of traveling over water after doing one to many presentations on Amelia Earhart.)
The second one (purple) I also got in Tokyo at Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine in the heart of the city near Harajuku District. It is a gakugyō-jōju type charm, specifically for wisdom to students to help pass their examinations. As I was starting college one I returned back from Japan I figured it couldn’t hurt to have some extra luck.
The final charm I purchased in Suwa, Japan at Suwa Taisha (Suwa Grand Shrine) a Shinto shrine. My host mother took us to the temple, where I watched as the priests performed various rituals including a brand new car that was being blessed so it would be safe and a ceremony for a new baby. When my host mother asked me what type of charm I needed I responded with “Ai” (Love). She thought she misheard and asked again, and I responded with “Ai” again. She started giggling and helped me purchase my en-musubi or “Love Charm”. It definitely is the prettiest of the three.
All there also have an intricate back with different writing or symbols on the back. The red one has a Buddhist Swastika on its back.
Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.
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