Omikuji

Last updated 2026-09-21

Omikuji (おみくじ) are small paper fortunes drawn at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. Each slip carries a fortune ranking from good to bad, giving the person who draws it a single phrase suited to their day. It is a casual, lighthearted ritual with a history said to stretch back more than a thousand years.

What is written on an omikuji?

A typical omikuji contains a fortune label (such as daikichi, chukichi, shokichi, suekichi, or kyou) along with specific advice on topics like academics, romance, travel, wishes, lost items, and awaited visitors. Some shrines include classical Chinese poetry or waka verses, which are considered the true heart of the fortune rather than the label itself.

Reading a single slip from top to bottom, this is how its contents are arranged.

At the top of the slipThe fortune label, your unseidaikichi, chukichi, shokichi, suekichi, kyou and so on

At some shrines, the real heart of the slipClassical Chinese poetry or a waka verseReading this verse carries more weight than the label above it

Below the verseAdvice broken down by topic

Academics

Romance

Travel

Wishes

Lost items

Awaited visitors

How one omikuji slip is laid out, from the top of the paper downward: the fortune label, the verse, then the topic advice.

Why do people draw them?

The underlying idea is “asking the gods about your current situation.” In practice, though, some modern visitors treat omikuji as:

A small souvenir of their shrine visit
A moment of self-reflection at the start of a new year
A bit of fun while traveling

Rather than taking the result too seriously, the best approach is to accept it gently: “Hmm, so today is one of those days.” That relaxed attitude is the key to a long and healthy relationship with omikuji.

What to do after drawing one

How to handle your omikuji after reading it is easily misunderstood.

“Tie it up if the result is bad” is half-right, half-myth
You can take it home and tuck it into your wallet or planner, rereading it from time to time
If you do tie it, use the designated tying rack. Do not tie it to tree branches, as this damages the trees

For more on this topic, see the column Should you tie your omikuji or take it home?.

Omikuji on Yuru Omikuji

The “Yuru Omikuji” on this site uses far more modern and slightly quirky fortune labels (such as nazo-kichi, ka-kichi, kage-kyou, and kuu-kichi) compared to traditional omikuji. It is designed as a small tool to help you find a label that matches your mood today and let your shoulders drop just a little.