Good Luck and Bad Luck papers - Omikuji

 This was good fun, because when you can't read your own fortune there are plenty of people around to tell you what it is, then the debates start.  Well it's sort of good luck, no it's really good luck, it was funny.  There was a French woman who was asking a Japanese woman what it meant, and she turned to me and said you tell her.  I said I don't read Japanese, and don't speak French, but then I remembered the google translate and put that into use, then a few other people were drawn in. The interpretations came flowing, we all determined it was not good luck and she should leave her fortune at the rack.

The rack

You fold the paper into a thin strip then form a knot around the wire to keep it in place.  During my stay, I pulled two, one good, which I have kept, and one not so good, which I left at the rack.

An omikuji bad fortune (Kyou or Dai-kyou) signifies a period of difficulty, but it's guidance, not destiny; you leave it tied at the shrine to "leave the bad luck behind," preventing it from following you, and reflect on the specific advice (love, travel, health) for caution, turning a negative draw into a positive lesson for growth.

Japanese shrine good luck papers are called Omikuji, small paper fortunes revealing your luck (from great blessing to great curse) in categories like love, travel, and health, drawn by shaking numbered sticks from a box; good fortunes are kept, while bad ones are tied to racks or trees to leave the misfortune behind at the shrine. These are popular year-round, especially at New Year's, and offer a fun way to get a personalized forecast and a meaningful ritual. 

How to Get Your Omikuji

1. Find the Station: Locate the omikuji area at a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple.
2. Make an Offering: Usually, you'll place a small coin (like 100 yen) in the box.
3. Shake the Sticks: Shake a metal or wooden box until a numbered stick falls out.
4. Find Your Fortune: Match the number to a corresponding drawer to get your paper fortune.
5. Read & Interpret: Your fortune will have ratings like Dai-Kichi (Great Blessing) or Dai-Kyo (Great Curse) and specific advice. 

What to Do With Your Fortune

• Good Luck: Keep it with you for good luck, perhaps in your wallet or purse.
• Bad Luck: Tie the strip to a designated rack, rope, or tree branch to leave the misfortune behind at the shrine.