"Omamori"

Omamori are Japanese amulets dedicated to particular Shinto deities as well as Buddhist figures.

The amulet covering is usually made of cloth and encloses papers or pieces of wood with prayers written on them which are supposed to bring good luck to the bearer on particular occasions, tasks or ordeals. Omamori are also used to ward off bad luck and are often spotted on bags, hung on cellphone straps, in cars, etc. for safety in travel. Many omamori are specific in design to the location they were made. They often describe on one side the specific area of luck or protection they are intended for and have the name of the shrine or temple they were bought at on the other. It is said that omamori should never be opened or they lose their protective capacities. Amulets do not expire, however they are commonly replaced once a year. Old amulets are usually returned to the shrine or temple so they can be disposed of properly.





Buddhism has a deep and ancient talismanic tradition. In the earliest days of Buddhism, just after the Buddha's death circa 485 B.C., amulets bearing the symbols of Buddhism were common. Symbols such as conch shells, the footprints of the Buddha, and others were commonly worn. After about the 2nd century B.C., Greeks began carving actual images of the Buddha. These were hungrily acquired by native Buddhists in India, and the tradition spread.






* Kanai Anzen - For good health and help with illness.
* Koutsu Anzen - Protection for drivers and travelers of all sorts.
* Emmusubi - Available for singles and couples to ensure love and marriage.
* Anzan - Protection for pregnant women during term and to ensure a safe and easy delivery.
* Gakugyojoju - for students and scholars.
* Shobaihanjo - Success in business and matters of money.

A kakemono (掛け物), more commonly referred to as a kakejiku ( 掛け軸) is a Japanese scroll painting or calligraphy mounted with brocade fabric edges on a flexible backing, so that it can be rolled for storage.


As opposed to makimono, which are meant to be unrolled laterally on a flat surface, a kakemono is intended to be displayed vertically as part of the interior decoration of a room.

It is traditionally displayed in the tokonoma alcove of a room especially designed for the display of prized objects. When displayed in a chashitsu, or teahouse for the traditional tea ceremony, the choice of the kakemono and its complementary flower arrangement help set the spiritual mood of the ceremony

In contrast to the byobu (folding screen) or shohekiga (wall paintings), kakemono can be easily and quickly changed to match the season or occasion.

The kakemono was introduced to Japan during the Heian period, primarily in the form of Buddhist images for religious veneration, or as a vehicle to display calligraphy or poetry. From the Muromachi period, landscapes, flower and bird paintings, portraiture, and poetry became the favorite themes. In modern times, hanging scrolls of anime and manga characters as well as kung fu film stars are popular in North America. There are two styles: If the width is shorter than the height, it is called a Standing Scroll (立軸); if the width is longer than the height, it is called Side Scroll (横軸).

Yukata is a Japanese summer garment.

Yukata are light summer kimono worn by both men and women. Yukata obi are frequently more colourful and may be made of a variety of fabrics. Some men's yukata obi are similar to or the same as kimono obi, while others feature decorative tassels or are made of very wide strips of cotton which are gathered at the ends and are tied loosely around the waist and secured with a bow at the back.

Women often tie yukata obi in various decorative knots, most popularly a large bow. People wearing yukata are a common sight at fireworks displays, bon-odori festivals, and other summer events. The yukata is a casual form of kimono that is also frequently worn after bathing at traditional Japanese inns, Though their use is not limited to after-bath wear, yukata literally means bath(ing) clothes.

A yukata is a cooling garment to wear. Like other forms of clothing based on traditional Japanese garments, it is made with straight seams and wide sleeves. Unlike formal kimono, yukata are typically made of cotton rather than silk or synthetic fabric, and they are unlined.

Traditionally yukata were mostly made of indigo-dyed cotton but today a wide variety of colors and designs is available. Like the more formal kimono, the general rule is the younger the person, the brighter the color and bolder the pattern. A child might wear a multicolored print and a young woman, a floral print, while an older woman would confine herself to a traditional dark blue with geometric patterns. Since the late 1990s, yukata have experienced a bit of a revival, and many young women now wear them in summer in personally distinctive ways not limited by tradition.

Kimono mean specifically the full-length traditional garment worn by women, men, and children.

Kimono literally "something worn", i.e., "clothes") are the traditional garments of Japan. Originally kimono indicated all types of clothing, but it has come to mean specifically the full-length traditional garment worn by women, men, and children.

Kimono are T-shaped, straight-lined robes that fall to the ankle, with collars and full-length sleeves. The sleeves are commonly very wide at the wrist, as much as a half meter. Traditionally, on special occasions unmarried women wear kimono (furisode) with extremely long sleeves that extend almost to the floor.

The robe is wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (it is only wrapped with the right side over the left when dressing the deceased for burial[1]) and secured by a wide belt (obi) tied in the back. Kimono are generally worn with traditional footwear (especially geta, thonged wood-platform footwear; and zori, a type of thong-like footwear) and split-toe socks (tabi).