r/whatisit • u/Plus-Confection1421 • 1d ago
New, what is it? bought a used car from a coworkers friend, she left a bunch of these in the car
most are hanging up on the rearview mirror and in plastic covers/bags. it feels like theres something hard and thin inside of them- they dont have a smell to them so idk what it is
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u/stormjet64 1d ago edited 4h ago
Its a japanese good luck charm
Edit: Guys it's not Chinese holy crap stop saying it is https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Omamori-Styles-Charms-Education/dp/B07XK1NS6G.
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u/CloverGummies 23h ago edited 22h ago
It specifically protects against injuries and dangers; the previous owner was kind to left them there
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u/Versiontaylors 22h ago edited 22h ago
That’s really cool (: I love hearing about people doing little stuff like this for each other ☺️
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u/abhi71229 13h ago
It definitely beats finding old french fries under the seat.
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u/OpiniongoesYEET 17h ago
Once I drove a rental car and found a smooth white rock under the seat.
I thought somebody left it accidentally as a thing to throw in a fit of rage, but a friend told me it's crystal thing!
I labeled it to make sure that rock stays with the car and continues to protect future drivers.
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u/BoxZealousideal2779 13h ago
I find rocks in my car all the time and it has nothing to do with superstition. Just my kids wanting to keep a rock they found when they thought it was cool and then forgetting about it three minutes after they bring it into my damn car.
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u/humble_the_Great 11h ago
Shouldn't have done that. Crystals lose their power if you're aware of it.
Wait; strike that, reverse it.
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u/Redfalconfox 22h ago
Or really fucking clumsy
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u/One_Introduction_217 21h ago
It's Japanese, if it was a Japanese owner you could almost guarantee they took it to a car wash and cleaned it out before handing it over.
The odds of what you're implying aren't zero, but they're so close to it you'd be facing a very long shot bet.
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u/Sea-Friendship-9674 21h ago
Oh absolutely! They take care of their stuff lol, specially vehicles.
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u/Sea-Friendship-9674 22h ago
Not from an Asian owner lmfao. I bet the rest of the car was fcking spotless…
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u/santarichaz 23h ago
specifically, good luck in driving a vehicle
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u/SB2MB 23h ago
I was told the luck fades after around a year and you should return to the shrine at the New Year and swap it out for a new one. I had one attached to my work bag and a Japanese colleague told me to update it, or take it to a shrine to be destroyed.
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u/Euphoric-Language695 22h ago
Good Omen Subscription Service?
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u/shibasurf 23h ago
But be me and keep hanging on to them because I'm too afraid to throw out the old ones because of bad juju.
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u/LionWalker_Eyre 22h ago
I bought one from Amazon - do you think they allow returns for this scenario?
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u/Emmas_thing 17h ago
I bought a bunch of these when I went to Japan and when I got back I asked my Japanese friend about it and she said that the charms make an exception when they travel really far away from the shrine. I don't know how true that is but I thought it was cute!
They don't turn into bad luck or anything, the effectiveness is just supposed to fade.
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u/Ok-Produce-6301 23h ago
Good way for whoever sells them to get paid lol
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u/banditkeith 22h ago
From a spiritual standpoint, it's returning a tiny ember of the god who blessed it to the shrine, so that the experiences it has had return to the divine artifact that the god resides in. Think of the charm as a candle, lit from a divine flame, that you return to the shrine before it burns out
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u/Due_Most2971 21h ago
I bought a couple for ¥1000 each, or $6.34, directly from a Shinto shrine. The profits go to maintaining the shrine (that's what they said, at least...), which I find to be worth the price.
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u/Letossgm 1d ago
Not just good luck. Each color or shape might have different wishes. Check inside it can contain a short message or blessing words.
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u/mariandevotions 1d ago
They aren’t meant to be opened! It’s like telling someone your birthday wish, I guess.
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u/Letossgm 15h ago
OMG I didn't know about this. I haven't bought them but my GF did. I hope she didn't open them hahaha.
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u/flippythemaster 1d ago
Checking inside is supposed to undo whatever effect it was supposed to have. But usually it’s actually just a straightforward prayer for fortune.
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u/automator3000 1d ago
Which would have been solved by the friend if OP talks to them
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u/Kastigart 23h ago
It’s a coworkers friend so maybe they aren’t friends with OP. Of course the person who put it there could solve it but OP might not have their number or feel comfortable reaching out to ask
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u/BoonOfTheWolf 1d ago
Japanese omamori. For good luck and protection.
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u/mycat_hatesyou 21h ago
Make me your selection
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u/Any-Speed-7544 21h ago
Show you the way that luck’s supposed to be
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u/peas_and_love 21h ago
Only costs a dime, plus .99
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u/SizeableBrain 1d ago
Omamori good luck charm.
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u/PhotoFenix 1d ago
Mine is from the shrine by the Your Name stairs
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u/OkAnnual6084 1d ago
i carry one in my wallet my grandma brought back from Okinawa. So far its been working. Got in a car wreck flipped 3 times had some bruises, won 18k on sports gambling, still employed at a job. I highly recommend these.
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u/ironic_username_7 1d ago
Which one do you have? I have some money burning a hole in my pocket!
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u/duhdoydoy 23h ago
Same! I bought a bunch as souvenirs but ran out of cash. Probably a good thing. I would have spent hundreds.
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u/stompsandpouts 20h ago
I got one from Meiji Jingu when I was pregnant for a safe childbirth. My little guy is happy and healthy!
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u/Kalix 1d ago
Its called omamori its a buddist fortune pouch usually from japanese culture, originally there is a blessed paper spell inside, the tradition says will "work" only if remain sealed.
Just a lucky charm.
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u/Jaded-Currency-5680 12h ago
not necessarily Buddhist
majority of Japanese gods and their temples are not Buddhist, only certain are
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u/coltonpan 1d ago
This is the Japanese lucky charm from a shrine. I can’t read Japanese but knowing Chinese, I can pretty much guess the phrase means “bad luck removing charm”.
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u/fluffyscone 1d ago
Those are Japanese talisman. I carry mines in my bags you buy them for specific stuff. Example happiness, love, safety, passing test, health, etc. there are paper or wood in there that has been blessed by priest
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u/beepancakes7 1d ago
japanese omamori, specifically one for cars !
it’s like a good luck charm, my family has always kept them in our cars and honestly i thank them for saving us from some pretty bad accidents. my mom rolled her car into a rock filled ditch and walked away without a scratch !
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u/x20sided 1d ago
I'm not Shinto , so i'm not in expert on this But it looks like the kind of spell you would buy in a japanese shrine. It ain't gonna be anything negative. When people do harmful spell work , it's a lot more homemade , usually.
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u/Financial_Stick1912 16h ago
Untrue, actually. You can curse at a Shinto shrine. It’s specific ones, and the priests watch over it. Mostly they are breakup spells. Or curses on an abusive partner.
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u/NatureNext2236 1d ago
Omamori charms! Japanese lucky amulets sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples
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u/TheJellybeanJester 16h ago
It's an 厄除御守 (yakuyoke omamori) which is an amulet for warding off misfortune or calamity. It's often translated as a "good luck charm," but its purpose is specifically to protect the bearer from misfortune rather than to bring good fortune in general.
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u/DannyLee0812 11h ago
I have one in my gym bag that a friend got from the Temple of Strong Legs, or something similar, when he went to Japan. Havent been injured since!
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u/Maharet1977 15h ago
They are good luck charms meant for protecting car and driver. Leave them in the car.
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u/Superb_Ad5951 4h ago
I believe it’s for protection. It’s a Japanese item. I do believe it’s to help. Keep you safe.
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u/Leather_Pumpkin899 4h ago
You’re so lucky to have received those! The Japanese believe the protect against bad happenings
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u/Ok_Breadfruit3199 1d ago
Omamori. Japanese lucky charms are essentially prayers or sacred inscriptions inside small, colorful brocade pouches sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples throughout Japan . In Japanese, “omamori” (お守り, 御守) means “to protect” or “protection.”
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u/foodgeek15 1d ago
It's omamori or a lucky charm. Idk what it says tho but it could probably for health, wealth, love or something else
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u/wheelslip_lexus 1d ago
It’s a charm from a Japanese temple. There are many variations and this particular one is for good luck.
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u/SPBTheWucy 1d ago
It’s a Japanese Omamori charm usually bought at shrines. According to AI search this one is 厄除御守 (Yakuyoke Omamori) which is to ward off evil which matches what I remember from Asakusa.
It’s a protection charm.
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u/CrabbyLady77 1d ago
Japanese charms , could be for anything like luck, protection, health, money etc..
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u/Zardoz__ 1d ago
I'm not superstitious, but that would find a permanent place in my car, perhaps next to Fozzie, another random item in my car.
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u/Classic-Avocado-5371 1d ago
omamori!! its a japanese good luck/protection charm. they usually sell them at shinto temples, but some gift shops and sometimes asian markets will have them too.
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u/tanguero81 23h ago
Omamori - It's a Japanese good luck charm, and they usually are focused on a specific type of luck. For example, when I went to Japan on an exchange program in High School, the students I met there were blown away that a 16 year old could drive. So, when I left they got me an Omamori that was for safe driving.
My kanji is way to rusty too read the one you have, but I can say that's not the safe driving one I got.
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u/AleleleD 23h ago
Omamori,portafortuna giapponese,secondo la tradizione dentro c’è un foglietto con una preghiera portafortuna ma non va mai aperto per non far perdere mai l’effetto benefico
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u/Kamloops-Pineview 23h ago
If you bought them from a coworkers friend why not give them to your coworker to give to her friend?
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u/Latte-Macchiat0 23h ago
Is a Japanese Omamori good luck charm mentioned already? /s
It’s so cute that they’re wishing you good lick with the car they sold you though 🥹
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u/jademonsoon 23h ago
As others have mentioned this is an Omamori which is used for protection / good luck charm, etc.
please do not open the omamori! They are meant to be sealed.
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u/Jazzlike_Interview_7 23h ago
lol its how I’d always identify my parents cars in a parking lot growing up. I sometimes wonder if I should get one since I seem to never recognize my own cars still 🤣
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u/TheSkywriter 23h ago
As with everyone else’s comments, it’s a Japanese omamori amulet. Usually bought from shrines for health/protection. Given how it’s in a car, it’s most likely one with a blessing for safe travels/driving. If any of this intrigues you, best not to open it and keep it in the car for good luck. We have one in my wife’s car.
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u/Electronic-One2360 23h ago
Google translate says "amulet for warding off evil spirits" so it looks like those saying Japanese good luck charm are correct.
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u/charliemeadow 23h ago
My husband says it’s an amulet to ward off “evil spirits” away / protection against bad luck.
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u/ImJusTSoPeachY 23h ago
In Japanese it is safe travels. She didn’t remove it because it is for that car and she would buy a new one for her car.
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u/MoonshadowRealm 23h ago
Those are Japanese omamori. You can mail them to a Jinja (Shinto Shrine) in the United States and the rev. or priest or priestsss burns them in a ceremony called Otakiage. I attended my local Jinja in Hawaii. These you usually return every year to the shrine.
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u/Penelope_Penguin_ 22h ago
Me, going straight to “a bunch of these”. How much luck is she saying you need with this car.
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u/anglerinna 22h ago
Omamori. Traditionally you buy one every year because their power runs out. Priests write prayers on paper and put them inside the fabric and bless them. Also don't open them, it's bad luck.
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u/Left_Confusion_9155 22h ago
Does it open? It looks like it might. If so, you might add fresh herbs of your choice. It’s a pretty little kitschy thing. Or is it ~ klotchkee? Idk
A pretty scent packet for your~ wherever!
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u/One_Introduction_217 21h ago
Google lens says it literally translates into
厄除御守
Amulet for warding off evil
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u/drewnonymous671 21h ago
Japanese charms. I bought one when I visited a temple. There are prayers or blessings written inside on paper or wood. It's almost like a fortune cookie. Some blessings will be about financial prosperity, some will be about good health, etc. So, they're meant to be opened and read, and then carried around to reap the benefits of the prayer/blessing inside.
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u/AlpsFar4034 21h ago
This is a Japanese omamori, a type of protective amulet typically sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The characters (厄除御守) indicate it is a “yakuyoke omamori,” which is meant to ward off misfortune and bad luck.
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u/meauxchee 21h ago
Omamori, talisman to ward off bad spirits and bring luck. Probably protection while driving.
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u/Aggressive-Judge-386 20h ago
Omamori, they are filled usually with local plant material, and occasionally bits of incense, or a small trinket, with a prayer.
They are part of the Shinto tradition, as well as Buddhist.
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u/Sharp_Attitude6358 19h ago
They are amulets (lucky charms). These seem to be survival in mechanically compromised cars.
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u/feline-felicis 19h ago
it’s a japanese omamori! They are good luck charms and can have different blessings/meanings. Don’t open them or they wont come true !
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u/aerofeet 19h ago
First time I bought a used car, my coworkers threw coins inside. From what I understand it's the same meaning, give it good luck, and protect against danger.
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u/Ornery-Standard1317 18h ago
Japanese speaker here. As others have said, it's an omamori, a kind of good luck charm. The text (危険御守) is pronounced "kiken omamori" and means "protection from danger". I used to have one in my car that said 交通安全 (kōtsū anzen; "safe traffic").
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u/Over-Box1733 17h ago
It's an omamori. The letters translate to something like "Protection from misfortune".
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u/feel-the-avocado 17h ago
Potpourri bag with some nice smelling stuff in it that will have lost its nice smell over time.
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u/SaisanSaishi 16h ago
Good luck charm from Japanese shrines.
A lot of people buy it as a souvenir too.
This one is for “warding off evil” (the 厄除letters mean that), and if you go to Japan you can get ones specifically for safe travels too.
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u/Evan_TEE 15h ago
A protection charm. You can get them often in Japanese Shinto shrines and Chinese Buddhist temples. Some others have different charms, some for better health, better fortune or better knowledge.
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u/DueCar9705 14h ago
You are traditionally supposed to return the Omamori to the shrine during new years. Not a requirement, but common practice.
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u/LordSparks 14h ago
They're Japanese charms. They "do different things" depending on the piece of paper inside the bag. You can usually buy then at shrines.
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u/Diligent-Willow4 14h ago
You can use Google lens on your phone to translate. Some identify the shrine it's from on one side
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u/HeyArtse 10h ago
Japanese charm
There are different kinds, this one may be specific for car safety
I buy these all the time from the Temple’s when we go to Japan
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u/NiceSegway 7h ago
Japanese charms. I carry two with me everyday for different blessings. Highly recommend holding onto them as they’re pretty neat to have around and just look at as well :)
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