shiyakujin no hokora
A Book of Little Traditions
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ToCminzoku shintôminkandenshôjôreishu

shu (Amulets & Protective Items) – 08 / 26 / 2014
shu しゅ
(guard, protect, defend, obey)

❖ Amulets and protective items
omamori – Personal protective charms
jufu – Written spells
dorei どれい 土鈴
do (soil, earth)
rei (smalll bell)
dorei (earthenware/ceramic bell)

❖ Small bells used to pray for good fortune, frequently in the shape of the animal representative of the astrological calendar
ema えま 絵馬
e (picture, drawing, painting, sketch)
ma (horse)
ema (votive picture – originally of horse)

❖ Small wooden plaques that wishes or desires are written upon and left at a place in the shrine grounds so that one may have a wish or desire fulfilled
hamaya はまや 破魔矢
ha (rend, rip, tear, break, destroy, defeat, frustrate)
ma (witch, demon, evil spirit)
ya (dart, arrow)

❖ Demon-breaking arrow
❖ A symbolic arrow for the fight against evil and bad luck
hamayumi はまゆみ 破魔弓
ha (rend, rip, tear, break, destroy, defeat, frustrate)
ma (witch, demon, evil spirit)
yumi (bow)

❖ Demon-breaking bow
❖ Ceremonial bow used with hamaya to drive off evil
inori いのり 祈り
ino.ri (pray, wish, supplication)

❖ Prayers to the kami written on pieces of paper that help students pass examinations or sick people recover from an illness
❖ Also called o-inori
❖ Or oinori
o-inori おいのり 御祈り
o (honorable)
ino.ri (pray, wish, supplication)
inuhariko いぬはりこ 犬張子
inu (dog)
ha.ri (lengthen, stretch, spread)
ko (child)

❖ A paper doll of a dog used to bless and provide a good birth
kadonyûdô かどにゅうどう 門入道
kado (gate)
nyû (enter)
dô (road-way, street, teachings)
nyûdô (priest, monk, shaved head) – Buddhist term

❖ A pair of standing logs with carved faces, that flank an entrance and act as a talisman against evil spirits
magatama まがたま 曲玉
maga (bent, curve, crooked)
tama (ball, jewel)

❖ Curved beads
❖ An ancient shintô talisman of good fortune
maneki neko まねきねこ 招き猫
mane.ki (beckon, invite, summon)
neko (cat)

❖ (Literally "beckoning cat")
❖ One of the most common lucky charms in Japan, designed to attract business and promote prosperity
❖ Found frequently in shop windows, the maneki neko sits with its paw raised and bent, beckoning customers to enter
❖ Also called welcoming cat, lucky cat, money cat, fortune cat
okiagari
koboshi
おきあがり
こぼし
起き上がり
小法師
o.ki (to get up)
a.gari (arise)
ko- (little, small)
bo | ho (method, law, rule, principle, model, system)
shi (expert, teacher, master)

❖ Getting up little preist
❖ A papier-mache doll designed so that its weight causes it to return to an upright position if it is knocked over
❖ It is considered a good-luck charm and a symbol of perseverance and resilience
daruma だるま 達磨
❖ An okiagari doll modeled after Bodhidharma
❖ These dolls are typically red and depict a bearded man (Dharma), they vary in color and design
❖ daruma is regarded as a talisman of good luck
shimpu しんぷ 神符
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
pu | fu (token, sign, mark, tally, charm)

❖ (amulet, charm)
shinsatsu しんさつ 神札
shin | kami (that which inspires feelings of reverence, awe, gratitude, fear/terror)
satsu (tag, placard)

❖ (protective amulets sold at shintô shrines)

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