10 Tokyo temples: choose yours wisely

Got a computer that needs blessing? Tokyo can sort you out. How about a fishing rod in need of a bit of divine guidance? Not to worry - we've got a temple for that too. For anyone with an oddly specific wish they really want granted in the coming months, this little list out to help you find peace of mind.

Protect the health of your favourite pet

Bandana omamori
Ichigaya Kamegaoka Hachimangu shrine
Because this shrine lets you bring your pets along for hatsumode, you’ll not only see cats and dogs there, but also rabbits, turtles, ferrets, hamsters, and even iguanas. While you are there, you can pray for the health and long life of your pet, and pick up an omamori (charm) to protect them from injury and illness. All sorts of charms are on offer. The ‘Bandana Omamori’ can be tied easily around the neck or leg of your pet, and it comes in red, blue and yellow, as well as a new version with an arabesque pattern, for 1,500 yen. The ‘Pet no Horifuda Omamori’ lets you have your name, your pet’s name, and your wish for your pet carved onto the charm itself. Those of you who want to visit the shrine with your pet will need to make an appointment in advance on the shrine’s website.

Complete a marathon or triathlon

Kenkyaku Omamori
Enju-ji temple
Enju-ji’s Nichika-do enshrines Saint Nichika, known as the ‘God of Strong Legs'. Legend has it that Saint Nichika walked for three days and three nights from Kanazawa, Yokohama, to the head temple of Nichiren Buddhism on Mt. Minobu in Yamanashi, carrying statues of two kongorikishi guardians (also known as Nio). The temple was founded around 350 years ago, in the time of the fourth shogun, Tokugawa Ietsuna. In the shrine you can see wooden ema plaques with traditional footwear fixed to them, and it’s not hard to imagine how important kenkyaku (strong legs) must have been in times when travel on foot was the norm. The charms, which say ‘Kenkyaku Omamori’, come in red, purple and green, and cost 1,500 yen. After you’ve successfully completed your race, you can take the omamori back to the temple and have them put it on a ritual fire in the takiage ceremony.

Improve your golf score

Golf-mamori
Tobifudoson temple
The story behind this temple is that after it had been founded in 1530, its chief priest travelled from Edo to the distant Mt. Omine in Nara for religious training, and he took the temple’s honzon (it’s central figure of Fudo Myo-o) with him. In the meantime, more and more people gathered at the temple back in Edo to pray to Fudo Myo-o. To answer all the prayers of his followers, Fudo Myo-o flew all the way back from Mt. Omine, and the honzon became known as ‘Tobi-Fudo’ (Flying Fudo), the god who would fly directly to the aid of all living things. Taking up the theme of ‘flying,’ the shrine offers the ‘Golf-mamori’ charm, which will help your golf ball fly further, for 2,000 yen. We haven’t been able to confirm whether Japan’s favourite young golfer Ryo Ishikawa has one, but if you’re looking to improve your golf score, it’s definitely the charm for you.

Eat my goal!

Soccer Omamori
Fukagawa Fudo-do temple
Fukagawa Fudo-do is well-known for its prayers and charms for road safety, and you can even have prayers said for your car at the Kotsu Anzen Kigan-den hall. But the charm that caught our eye is the official Japan Football Association ‘Soccer Omamori.’ There are three kinds of omamori, all with the emblem of the national team on them, for 700 yen each, so you can buy one to support the national team and also to improve your own skills. A must for any football fan.

Improve your fishing abilities

Choko Anzen Tairyo-mamori
Tomioka Hachimangu shrine
Tomioka Hachimangu is Tokyo’s biggest Hachiman shrine and has omamori for everything from warding off bad luck, to passing exams, victory, and safe childbirth. However, it's the very particular‘Choko Anzen Tairyo-mamori', a charm for safe and successful fishing, that we walked away with. It’s an omamori you could only get from the ujigami of an area like Fukagawa, which thrived as a fishing village in the Edo Period. The charms are 800 yen and come in two types, both featuring a fish hook design. Oh, and they're waterproof, too. Well they would be, wouldn't they?

Keep your looks

Bi-mamori
Kanda Myojin temple
Kanda Myojin can help you with finding love, having business success, and avoiding misfortune. But it also has the ‘Bi-mamori,’ a beauty charm for those who want to maintain their good looks, or anyone in the beauty industry. They're very prettily designed, with the White Rabbit of Inaba on them, and if you look closely, they even have curves where a waist might be.

Fly safely

Hiko-mamori
Tobifudoson temple
We’ve already told you about Tobifudoson’s ‘Golf-mamori,’ but it's worth picking up the ‘Hiko-mamori’while you're their, a safety charm for travellers and anyone in the business of flying. They cost 600 yen and come in two types: the netsuke type (on a cord with a small model plane attached), and the type in a small gold brocade pouch. They also have ema (wooden plaques for writing prayers on) with the rather striking image of an aeroplane flying in front of Fudo Myo-o.

Ways to leave your lover

Ryoen Joju and Akuen Kaijo
Youn-ji temple
Youn-ji enshrines Oiwa-san, from the famous 'Yotsuya Kaidan' horror story, and is a well-known place to pray for proper engiri (separation) and enmusubi (matchmaking). There are two omamori, the ‘Ryoen Joju’ (achieving a good match) and ‘Akuen Kaijo’ (being released from a bad relationship). It’s a good place for those who want to break off bad ties and build new ones in 2011.

Improve your eyesight

Meme Ema Suzu-mamori
Arai Yakushi temple
Arai Yakushi is well known for having omamori that can cure eye troubles. Its ema plaques are called ‘Meme Ema,’ and have the character for ‘me’ (eye in Japanese) written on them twice, with one in reverse so it looks like a pair of eyes. They also have a more portable charm version: the ‘Meme Ema Suzu-mamori.’ They come in red and purple, and will set you back 700 yen. There is also a charm for curing illness, in a fetching drawstring money pouch shape, for 500 yen (navy blue, red, peach and white).

Protect your digital loved ones

IT Joho Anzen Shugo
Kanda Myojin temple
We are back at Kanda Myojin, home of the ‘Bi-mamori’ beauty charm, but did you know that this temple is also home to the ujigami of nearby electronics district Akihabara? This means they also offer the ‘IT Joho Anzen Shugo’ charm to protect your computers and mobile phones. It comes as a set, with a charm in the shape of a computer chip and a handy sticker to put on your computer.