Omamori (御守り) are Japanese charms. They are small embroidered cloth pouches that shrines and temples sell for protection and good luck. Omamori are bright, easy to carry and cheap. They are among the most familiar objects of everyday faith in Japan. People keep them in bags, wallets and cars, and give them to each other as a sign of care.
A charm you carry
The word comes from mamoru (守る), "to protect," and that is exactly what an omamori does. It is a protective charm that you keep close. Inside the little silk pouch lies a slip of paper or wood with a prayer or the name of a god. But the pouch should stay closed. Tradition says that if you open it to look inside, its power escapes and the protection ends. So you simply carry it sealed and trust it. There are many kinds of omamori, each for a specific blessing (goriyaku, 御利益). There are charms for a safe birth, success in exams, safe driving, good health, love and marriage, a thriving business and protection from bad luck.
Buying, carrying, and returning
People get omamori at shrine and temple stalls, above all at New Year during hatsumōde, the first shrine visit of the year. By custom, a charm lasts about a year, and then its power runs out. You do not throw an old charm in the bin. You take it back to a shrine, where the priests burn it in a ritual fire as a way of saying thanks. Then you get a fresh one. Omamori also make good gifts. You might give a road-safety charm to someone who has just started driving, or an exam charm to a student before entrance tests. These are small, sincere ways to wish a loved one safety.
Words & idioms to take away
Idioms & proverbs to carry away
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御守り: from 守る (mamoru), "to protect." The polite prefix o- marks it as a sacred object. A close relative is the ofuda (御札), a larger paper charm that people keep at home.
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御利益 (goriyaku): the specific blessing that a charm, a god or a shrine brings, such as a safe journey or success in study.