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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.
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.
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94年生まれ。神戸出身、東京在住。アメリカからの帰国子女。旅、アート、食が大好きな大学生。