Wooden Plaques and Prayers in Tokyo
Upon approaching the main building of a shrine in Tokyo you may notice a number of wooden plaques tied to a simple structure or tree. These are ema and visitors purchase them from a stall on the shrine premises, write a prayer on the back, and then leave them behind in the hope that their prayer might be answered. People employ ema to pray for good health, bountiful harvests, prosperity in business, success on exams, overall happiness and just about anything else you can imagine.
The literal translation of ema is “horse picture” and it is a tradition that dates back …read more
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