Unlucky Omikuji, But How Lucky!

Monday, April second, two thousand and seven

As I posted an article that I went see cherry blossoms, I visited a famous temple yesterday. At that time I bought a おみくじ(omikuji - fortune slip) there, in order to consult an oracle. :) Unfortunately, the one told me that I have a bad fortune as the following picture. 凶(kyou) means the worst fortune in Japanese, actually. However, I bet I'm sooooo lucky! How come? Let me tell you the reason I think so. Basically, there tend to be very few bad-fortune slips in omikuji-boxes at almost all temples or shrines all over Japan. It means a very rare case to get the worst one. In fact, it was the first time for me to be given it. Yeah! I've just had a unique experience for the first time! How lucky I am! I'm thinking too positively???? :) Anyway, it's a good way for having a good life to think you are lucky in spite of being in trouble.

Let me introduce a Japanese custom to you. If you get a bad-fortune omikuji, you had better tie the one around a branch of a tree in the temple or shrine. Some of temples and shrines have a special space that you can tie the one as the following picture. People pray in order not to bring bad fortunes to them by leaving the unlucky slips there.