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omamori
An amulet sold in Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. It is said that these amulets have the ability to grant special wishes such as "being successful in a college entrance examination" or "for certain love to come true."
Although omamoris come in a variety of shapes, their most popular form is a little bag called an お守り袋 (omamori bukuro, omamori pouch) which is a flat pouch with sharp angles, made of vibrant colors containing items that attract good luck. The shape of this pouch was invented by a Nishijin textile manufacturer after World War II (this company, Akie Charms Co., is still nowadays the largest company in the omamori pouch manufacturing industry). Nevertheless, omamoris of this type tend to appear frequently in works of fiction set in the Edo period, such as the jidaigeki.
Often, mothers of students preparing for entrance examinations will make homemade omamoris. In this case, the pouches will have a piece of paper containing a message of encouragement for their children.
Examples
