Omamori and the “physical manifestation” of Luck
After readings in tutorials about talismanic objects and amulets sold by shrines and temples in Japan, I was confounded by the sheer number of amulets one could purchase for any and seemingly every occasion. I found a “Guide to Omamori” that loosely describes what several types of these talismans may look like or perhaps what type of good luck/ blessings they may bring.
I find the ability to purchase a “pocket sized” blessing that can then be used personally, or gifted to friends and loved ones, particularly interesting- especially after reading Webb Keane’s paper, “On Spirit Writing: Materialities of Language and the Religious Work of Transduction”. The material qualities of these talismans and amulets, their “durability” and ability to be transported and kept on one’s person, makes their mass consumption visible (as we can see from the pictures in the article). The article even has the addresses of well-known temples where one could purchase specific Omamori. One could argue that the wide-spread availability of Omamori at shops and little booths near shrines and temples, and their ubiquity as blessings or “lucky” objects, is a very interesting case for this weeks readings!
Contributed by LaurenFeldman on 28/01/2018
