15.00 USD

This is an "Ema". "Ema" are small Wooden Plaques on which Shinto worshippers write their prayers or wishes. The ema are then left hanging up at the shrine, where the kami (spirits or gods) receive them. They bear various pictures, often of animals or other Shinto imagery, and many have the word gan'i (願意), meaning "wish", written along the side. In ancient times people would donate horses to the shrines for good favor, over time this was transferred to a wooden plaque with a picture of a horse, and later still to the various wooden plaques sold today for the same purpose.

Ema are sold for various wishes. Common reasons for buying a plaque are for success in work or on exams, marital bliss, to have children, and health. Some shrines specialize in certain types of these plaques, and the larger shrines may offer more than one. Sales of ema help support the shrine financially.

Jindaiji Tempple in Tokyo

********This Ema is from Jindai-ji Temple in Chofu City, Tokyo Prefecture. Jindaiji is the second oldest temple in Tokyo, originally built in 733. If you want to avoid the touristy feeling of Sensoji, Tokyo’s oldest, this is the place to come. Jindai was a village until 1952, and the streets around the temple retain much of this backwater feeling. There’s even a watermill, which is still turned by the small stream that meanders through the area. This mill used to grind the buckwheat flour that makes the soba noodles Jindai is famous for.

Ryogen - his Self-carved statue was moved to Jindaiji temple from Mt. Hiei https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryogen

Ryogen (良源?, 912 – January 31, 985 AD) was a chief abbot of Enryaku-Temple (Enryaku-ji) in the 10th century. His supposed role as a precursor of the warrior monks (sōhei) is questionable and seems to be a later invention (see Adolphson 2007).

For More information from http://ja.japantravel.com/tokyo/jindaiji-temple-chofu-city-tokyo/4537 or http://darumamuseum.blogspot.jp/2010/02/jindai-ji-temple.html

It measures about 12.5 x 8.2 x 0.6 cm.

願 gan = wish