The Basics Of Japanese Talismans, Courtesy Of Sensoji Temple

The types and varieties of talismans or lucky charms sold at temples and shrines across Japan is vast, but there are some important rules to keep in mind when purchasing and using them. Here is the information we learned from Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.

2017.07.17

Avoid disaster or grant protection, there are a wide variety of divine charms called 'omamori' sold at various temples and shrines all across Japan. The handling of such a token--a symbol of a god’s divine power--must be done with special attention. Today, we will answer some questions about the correct way to handle and store charms, as well as how to dispose of them properly once their luck has expired.

Question 1: Can I hang multiple charms together on my phone or bag?

photo by pixta

The effects of charms change depending on the heart of the owner. It’s said that multiple charms, no matter where you put them, will not sway a god’s influence one way or the other. Virtuous gods won’t cancel out each other’s charms if they’re put together. Similarly, there’s no problem with Shinto charms being used with charms from other religions.

However, it is possible that a Buddhist charm may not work near a Shinto charm, so you will need to ask if it’s okay to keep it with a Shinto charm at the temple grounds when you buy it.

Next Page Next Page: What is the correct way to dispose of a charm? Is it alright to open it to see what's inside?

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