Do you know omikuji?

In shrines in Japan we can find omikuji like this. Omikuji is a fortune about a person’s near future written on a strip of paper. On new year’s day we visit a shrine to make New Year’s wishes for health and happiness and draw an omikuji that tells us a fortune of the new year.

Fortunes are divided into different levels of luck.

大吉 (daikichi) Very good luck

中吉 (chyukichi) Good luck

小吉 (syoukichi) A little luck

末吉 (suekichi) Uncertain luck

凶 (kyou) Bad luck

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大吉 is very good luck, but if you draw it this year your next fortune couldn’t be better than this year’s, so some people say that 中吉 is the best.

After you read your omikuji you can tie it to a tree or wood in the shrine if you want. It means to form a connection with God. Otherwise you can keep it, because omikuji is a message from God.  Either is fine. When I drew 大吉 I kept it to read it sometimes to make myself happy.

You can find Omikuji whenever you visit shrines, so if  you are interested in it please try!