Ofuda
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O-fuda (御札 or お札 o-fuda, a charm) is a type of household amulet or talisman, issued by a Shinto shrine, hung in the house for protection, a gofu (護符). It may also be called shinpu (神符). It is made by inscribing the name of a kami and the name of the Shinto shrine or of a representative of the kami on a strip of paper, wood, cloth, or metal.
It is to be renewed yearly, typically before the end of a year, and attached to a door, pillar, or ceiling. It may also be placed inside a private shrine (kamidana). It is believed to protect the family in residence from general harm, such as a disease. A more specific o-fuda may be placed near particular objects such as one for kitchen to protect from accidental fire. A popular o-fuda called jingū-taima (神宮大麻) or simply taima (大麻) is issued by Ise Shrine. It is made from hemp cloth; the use of hemp as a material was common from antiquity.
A portable form of o-fuda, commonly called omamori (お守り or 御守, o-mamori) is typically given out wrapped in a small bag made of decorated cloth. This originates from Onmyōdō and Buddhism, but was subsequently adopted by Shinto. Both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines give out these o-mamori. While an o-fuda is said to protect a whole family, an o-mamori offers support for personal benefits.
External links
References
- Nelson, Andrew N., Japanese-English Character Dictionary, Charles E. Tuttle Company: Publishers, Tokyo 1999, ISBN 4-8053-0574-6
- Masuda Koh, Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, Kenkyusha Limited, Tokyo 1991, ISBN 4-7674-2015-6
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