Mikuji (Fortune Paper) – one of the Japanese religious behaviors

Mikuji – you find it at Asakusa Sensouji temple

When you have a chance to visit Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines in Japan, you may find many people drawing MIKUJI (or OMIKUJI), the fortune paper. At the famous Buddhist temple in Tokyo, Sensouji which is the landmark for overseas travelers, many tourists of not only Japanese but of foreign countries draw MIKUJI and they are delighted to see the results showing “Good Fortune” on the paper. Of course, some of them feel down when the paper show “Bad Fortune”. Before drawing Mikuji, people put their hands and pray for that MIKUJI shows “Good” with divining their prosperous fortune or realizing their dreams, and confirm the results. If the result matches their expectations(should be good one), they give their big smiles, while on the contrary they look dissatisfied if the result mentions “Bad”. Nowadays MIKUJI becomes popular among Japanese including young adults as well as foreign tourists.

What is its Origin of Sensoji’s Mikuji

The current style of Mikuji of Sensoji could be traced back in the 10^th century in Japan, Heian period. Ryogen(18^th Chief Priest of Hiei-zan Enryaku-ji temple, 912 – 985 AC) is said to have created the current style of MIKUJI, which is the origin of SENSOJI’s one. Worshippers draw one from one hundred papers showing Boddhisattva KANNON’s teaching written in Chinese-style poem composed of four phrases with five words. It was likely the counsel or the advice how to treat the problems for people who were stumped about their life. As you can find Mikuji basically only at Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, they are Japanese religious spots, people who draw Mikuji believe that it is saying of Buddha or Gods.

How Mikuji works?

Mikuji, which many tourists including foreign visitors at Sensoji draw, is the fortune paper telling the drawer’s fortune, a kind of divination. You draw one stick showing the number from Mikuji Box containing 100 sticks, then you can take the paper from the small drawer mentioned the same number. The fortune can be categorized in seven fortunes: 大吉(best fortune), 吉(good fortune), 半吉(medium fortune), 小吉(better fortune), 末吉(good fortune in future), 末小吉(lowest fortune in future), 凶(Bad fortune). It shows the fortune of people who draw including the suggestion of several aspects such as travel, wedding, health, and etc.. For more details of procedures and contains of papers will be talked separately in the another post.

Why is it getting popular among Japanese?

When people draw MIKUJI, they put their hands with praying in their heart “Dear Buddha (or Dear God), please make my dream come true.” They recognize unconsciously that their life somewhat depends on something powerful which people cannot control, it may be Buddha or God. That is one of reasons why Buddhist temples’ or Shinto shrines’ “MIKUJI has been kept being popular among Japanese people, so it keeps being supported by many Japanese citizens. By making use of this Japanese mentality, some commercial shops set MIKUJI corner and use it as a marketing tool, such as KOI-MIKUJI, love-fortune- telling to attract their shoppers. By seeing such attitude of Japanese, many of Japanese could be considered devoted Buddhist or Shinto believers.

Are many Japanese are so religious?

One survey conducted in 2018 by NHK(Japan’s broadcasting corporation) questioned “Do you have religion usually believe?”, and answers were as follows. On the contrary to the scene at Sensoji temples where many Japanese drawing Mikujji with praying to Buddah, the result of survey shows that Japanese are not religious.

Yes, it’s Buddhism	31%
Yes, It’s Japan’s Shinto	3%
Yes, it’s Christianity	1%
No, don’t have	62%

As we see the Japanese religious-like behavior at Sensoji, we can meet same behavior of Japanese families at Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines.

Traditional Customs related to religion

We Japanese have many customs related to Buddhism and Shinto.

In the new year season, many Japanese visit Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines where they pray for their happiness, good health, business success throughout the year to Buddha or Gods. At the occasion of weeding, having got new baby, children’s” Shichi-Go-San (at the age of child’s 3, 5, 7 year old)”, Japanese go to shrines or temples to pray for their happiness(please refer ; Celebration and Prayer during the childhood).

Having lost their relatives, people hold funeral ceremony by Buddhism way, and in the period of HIGAN and BON Japanese go to the grave usually located at the Buddhist temple for praying ancestors.

As such, Japanese act as religious without intending as Buddhist or Shinto believers.

Japanese seems religious by the fact of Japanese attitude to Mikuji

As mentioned above, it seems to me that almost of Japanese act as Buddhist or Shinto believers at many occasions without their intention, as seen in the scenes that people put their hands to pray for the success or realization of their hope to Buddha or God or something which cannot be controlled by them. As long as I witness in this sense, Japanese is one of most religious minded people. The statistics does not show the bottom of our Japanese heart. MIKUJI is one of the signs showing that Japanese tend to implore the help of the Buddha or the God when they need.

Summary

Mikuji is one of the cases showing Japanese religious attitude. Many of Japanese draw Mikuji when they go to Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. It is believed by many Japanese that Mikuji of Buddha or God shows people’s luck or unluck at that time without knowing their deep thought. At the occasions such as Hastumoude, Yakudoshi, Shich-go-san and periodical grave visit at Bon period, Japanese show their religious attitude without recognizing as religious action. Such Japanese behavior is named as “light religion” by Hiroshi Nakayama, Japanese a religious sociologist. Japanese is just “light religious” national.

For Tour-Guide san

I would like the tour-guide san to explain followings to customers when taking them to Senso-ji or Buddhist temples.

1. Mikuji is not just divinations, having long historical meaning.
2. It could be traced back to the one by Enryakuji’s monk in 10th century.
3. Japanese is quite religious without intending so by finding the scenes of Mikuji, Hatumoude, Shichi-Go-San and etc..

Welcome your recommendation of the theme for next!

I may overlook some ordinary action which impress you or let you feel different, so if you want to know about any Japanese behavior or actions which make you interesting, please let me know. I try to analize and post the story in this site.