Mikuji ; Fortune Paper – How Japanese behaviors get rooted in religion

Mikuji – you find it at Japanese Buddhist 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 where I am serving, recently becoming 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 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. Then, what is the origin of MIKUJI? How has it become the current style? How do Japanese impress for MIKUJI? What is there behind MIKUJI?

What is its Origin?

In the ancient days in Japan, drawing was used in the powerful local ruling families in order to make an important decision such as for electing the successor of chief of family or the ritual master. It may be same in Western countries. In the 10^th century in Japan, Heian period, Ryogen(18^th Chief Priest of Hieizan Enryakuji temple), created the current style of MIKUJI which is used in SENSOJI temple, letting 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 the counsel of how to treat the problems for people who were stumped about their life.

Across the ages, MIKUJI had has meaning of divination. Many of worshippers at Buddhist temples or Japanese Shinto shrines usually draw MIKUJI in order to know their fortune whether they are at lucky or unlucky stage. Very recently some commercial shops use MIKUJI as a marketing tool, such as KOI-MIKUJI, love-fortune telling to attract their shoppers..

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 be popular among Japanese people, so it is kept being supported by many Japanese citizens while recently some commercial shops use MIKUJI as a marketing tool, such as KOI-MIKUJI, love-fortune telling to attract their shoppers.

Japanese are religious?

One survey conducted in 2018 by NHK(Japan’s broadcasting corporation), and question was “Do you have religion usually believe?”, and answers were as follows. It seems to be shown 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%

Customs related to religion

In the new year season, however, many Japanese visit Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines or beach to see the first sunrise being treated as GOD, where they pray for their happiness, good health, business success throughout the year. At the occasion of weeding, having new baby, 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 at temples, and in the period of HIGAN and BON Japanese go to the grave usually located at the Buddhist temple for praying ancestors.

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 cases showing Japanese religious attitude. Many of Japanese draw MIkuji when they go to Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines with praying their happiness although they do not think themselves as religious nor they depend on Buddha or Gods. At the occasions such as Hastumoude, Yakudoshi(please refer to “YAKU-DOSHI厄年” and “YAKU-YOKE厄除”), 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

When Tour-guide san have a chance to show and let them try Mikuji at Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, I would like you not to explain that is a divination , but please advice them that Mikuji tells them how to deal with their current situation when they are at bad trend or even in good stage based on the Buddha’s teaching. If it shows “Bad”, be careful for doing for some time, if it is “Good”, it can be enjoyed but not for so long time with preparing for next bud situation coming.

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.