Wooden ofuda tablet blessed and sanctified by a Japanese Shinto priest. Ofuda (lit 'honorable plaque') are spiritual talismans used by Japanese within home altars called kamidana (aka zushi) and at home entryways to provide blessing and ward away evil. Shinto is the native religion of Japan and an animist system supporting a pantheon of innumerable major and minor gods. Ofuda and other luck charms called omamori are commonly replaced at the start of each year as the power of these charms is thought to be only temporary and subject to diminish over time.

About the Listed Item

Brand new wood and paper ofuda from the Minowa Inari Shinto shrine located in the seaside city of Shimizu, Japan near Mt. Fuji. This shrine is over 400 years old and dedicated to Inari, the god of cereals and grains who protects the rice harvest and is one of the most important and revered of all Shinto deities. Inari shrines are quite famous for their impressive fox statues (Inari kitsune) which can normally be seen standing guard on either side of the shrine gate. The writing on this ofuda reads in Japanese Minowa Inari jinja which translates as 'Minowa Inari shrine'. This is the standard type of Ofuda used with any Japanese kamidana. Click here to see more religious charms, amulets and talismans or here to see authentic new and vintage Japanese kamidana god shelves to hold your ofuda! Please read below to learn more about Japan's native religion, Shinto.

Size:
Height: 6.9 inches (17.8 centimeters)
Width (at widest point): 2.0 inches (5.0 centimeters)
Weight: 0.5 ounces (13 grams)

More about the Shinto religion

Shinto is one of the two major religions of Japan (the other is Buddhism). Shinto is often considered to be the native religion of Japan, and is as old as Japan itself. The name Shinto means "the way of the gods." Shinto is a pantheistic religion, in which many thousands of major and minor gods are thought to exist. The Japanese have built thousands of shrines (jinja) throughout the country to honor and worship these gods. Some shrines are huge and are devoted to important deities while other shrines are small and may be easily missed when strolling along roads in the countryside.

Shinto gods are called kami. Kami are thought to have influence on human affairs, and for this reason many Japanese make regular pilgrimage to community shrines in order to offer prayers to local kami. The act of prayer involves approaching the shrine structure, passing through the gate-like torii, cleansing the hands and mouth with water and possibly ascending stairs to the main entrance of the shrine. Usually without entering the shrine the worshipper will throw some coins into a stone or wooden collection box and then rattle the suzu bell which is at the top of a long hemp rope. The worshiper grabs hold of the rope and shakes it back and forth causing the copper bell at the top to rattle. This is thought to get the attention of the shrine god. The worshipper then bows twice, claps his or her hands twice and then bows again. In addition, the worshipper may clasp their hands together in silent prayer. Shintoism and Buddhism have managed to find a comfortable coexistence in Japan. Evidence of this harmonious relationship is found in the fact that that most Japanese are married in a Shinto shrine, but buried by a Buddhist priest.

item code: INV-0000073_01
category code: (sacred_object)
ship code: L1650