Sensoji Temple Omikuji: How to Draw a Fortune and Its Meaning

Photo by Pixta
Sensoji, the ever-crowded temple in Asakusa. In this place overflowing with people’s enthusiasm, there is a rumor that has been handed down over many years. This rumor is related to omikuji, or paper fortunes… but before talking about that, let’s try and draw an omikuji for ourselves.

Table of Contents

1. Try Drawing an Omikuji at Senso-ji
2. The Rumor Associated with Senso-ji's Omikuji
3. The Reason for the High Rate of Bad Fortune
4. Why Senso-ji’s Omikuji is Popular
5. Create Your Own Original Amulet in Asakusa!

Try Drawing an Omikuji at Senso-ji

Photo by Pixta

This is the main office that is located in front of Senso-ji’s main temple building. An omikuji is a strip of paper that predicts your fortune when you make a prayer to the gods and Buddhas of a given temple or shrine. The contents written on that small slip of paper shows your future. Did you know that there are 7 types of results for omikuji, ranging from the best daikichi (大吉excellent luck), to the worst daikyou (大凶terrible luck)?

Photo by Pixta

One omikuji at Senso-ji costs only 100 yen. Place a 100 yen coin through the hole into the money collection box by yourself.

Photo by Pixta

When you’ve inserted the money, shake the omikuji box several times on its side. You will hear a neat shaka shaka sound, and naturally get excited.

An omikuji rod will poke out from a hole in the box. The characters written on it, seen in the red box, mean 88 in Japanese.

Now, search for the drawer labeled number eighty-eight in the shelves located right next to the box (try to match the symbols on the rod to the drawers, or ask someone for assistance if you can't read Japanese), and take one omikuji slip. In this moment, you're sure to feel excited no matter how old you are.

Oh wow, we got daikichi (excellent luck)! You might be excited enough to cheer, and the people around you are sure to feel jealous or surprised. Some might even say that you must be blessed, to have gotten daikichi at Senso-ji of all places.

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The Rumor Associated with Senso-ji's Omikuji

Photo by Pixta

Certainly, you will notice many people surrounding around you lamenting their fortunes as they tie their omikuji slips to iron rods. The action of kami wo musubu or tying the paper, is recommended by the temple as a means of sealing your fate. The rumor? Well, here is what the official homepage of Senso-ji has to say:

"We often hear that Senso-ji’s omikuji have lots of bad fortunes in them, but that is just the way that ancient omikuji is."

So why did the rumor of having a high probability of drawing a bad fortune start circulating?

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The Reason for the High Rate of Bad Fortune

Senso-ji's omikuji strictly adheres to the traditional method of omikuji that has been handed down since the Heian period, called Kannonhyakusen. According to the ratio of Kannonhyakusen, 30% of the 100 bamboo sticks inserted into the tube are bad fortunes. That does not mean that all temples follow this traditional method though. It seems there is a sequence of events that led to an alteration of the system, as the rates of bad fortune were lowered for the happiness of people drawing the fortunes. This is probably where the story of it being easy to draw a bad fortune at Senso-ji’s omikuji started.

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But Senso-ji’s Omikuji is Still Popular!

Regardless of the high probability of a drawing a bad fortune, Senso-ji’s omikuji is exceedingly popular. If you try asking other people, the various reasons often given are “I want to try and draw an excellent fortune at Senso-ji, where the probability of drawing a bad fortune is high”, “I want to know if I’ll really draw a bad fortune”, and so on. Senso-ji explains: “Even if you draw a bad fortune, the actions you take thereafter can alter your luck”. Even if you draw a bad fortune, taking it as a good chance to take a positive look at the life you’ll live from now on without feeling down is important. Won’t you try drawing an omikuji at Senso-ji to predict your fortune?

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Create Your Own Original Amulet in Asakusa!

Picture courtesy of kkday
When visiting Sensoji Temple, trying your luck with an omikuji (fortune slip) is one of the fun activities.

And as a souvenir of your trip, how about creating a one-of-a-kind original amulet at OriNami located very close to Sensoji Temple!

Choose from 24 colors of thread and a variety of parts, and then weave your wish into it—this experience will surely become a special memory. Be sure to try it during your sightseeing in Asakusa!

Book Your Amulet Making Experience! (Asakusa OriNami)

Picture courtesy of kkday

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Sensoji Temple

2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito ward, Tokyo

Sensoji Temple is a temple with a history of over 1300 years. The Kaminarimon Gate with its red lantern has become the symbol of Sensoji Temple. After passing through Kaminarimon, you will find Nakamise Street, the oldest shopping street in Japan. About 180 souvenir shops and Japanese confectionery shops line the 250-meter-long shopping street, which is bustling with visitors every day. Asakusa is famous for sweet potato yokan desserts, deep-fried manju sweets, and other local treats.

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