Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū

Finding Fortune in Kamakura

Along with the Great Buddha (Kamakura Daibutsu), the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Shinto shrine attracts hundreds of visitors each day in Kamakura (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan). The rituals for seeking good fortune are many. These ema—wooden votive plaques or prayer tablets—are inscribed with various specific wishes to be received and, one hopes, granted by the spirits and gods.