Japanese traditional talismans, which can be found both at Buddhist temples and in Shinto shrines all over Japan, are called o-mamori. The term loosely translates to "protection" or "protector", even though their are all kinds of talismans. Some are for health, some for protection during travel, some for love and success. Because buying o-mamori is so fundamentally Japanese, you can even buy them at Disney Land and Resort Tokyo. The one I bought is shaped like Mickey Mouse's head, while they are normally rectangular. The small turquoise bell as well as the colored strap are key characteristics of o-mamori. On the front, there is usually a reference to what kind of talisman you just bought (f.e. "victory" , "healthy birth" etc.). The Disney one is quite funny. On the front, it simply says "Yume ga kanaiMOUSE you ni" Which means "May your dream come true" while also being a pun on "mouse" for Mickey Mouse.
Since the Disney O-Mamori isn't pre-charmed, and you can choose your own dream or wish, it opens up on top. As you can see, there is a little piece of paper inside. Usually, there is already a charmed prayer paper inside and it is tightly sewn in!
I haven't written down a wish yet, and I might wait some time until I do. I have a huge collection of charms and for me they work better when I concentrate on one (or a few).
Do you own charms, or create them yourself?
Blessings and balance ~
Peachess
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