A talisman issued by a Shinto shrine on which is written the name of the shrine or its enshrined kami and stamped with the shrine's seal. Such ofuda, also called shinsatsu, go-shinsatsu or shinpu, are often placed on household Shinto altars and revered both as a symbol of the shrine's deity - indeed containing the kami's essence or power by virtue of its consecration - and a medium through which the kami in question can be accessed by the worshiper. In this regard they are somewhat similar to goshintai, physical objects which serve as repositories for kami in Shinto shrines.
A talisman intended for a specific purpose usually distributed by both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Such amulets are also called gofu. Like shinsatsu, gofu from shrines or temples are imbued with the power of the kami or Buddhist figures revered therein. Unlike shinsatsu, they are not necessarily enshrined in kamidana or in Buddhist altars but may be kept on one's person or placed on other areas of the home. Small, portable gofu encased in a small bag of decorated cloth are referred to as omamori.
Ofuda are made out of various materials such as paper, wood, cloth or metal. Paper ofuda may also be referred to as kamifuda, while those made of wood may be called.
History
The practice of creating gofu originated from Onmyōdō - which adopted elements of Daoism - and Buddhism. Indeed, such ofuda and omamori were heavily influenced by the Daoist lingfu. Later, similar talismans also came to be produced at Shinto shrines. The three shrines of Kumano in Wakayama Prefecture were particularly famous for their paper talisman, the Kumano Goōfu, also known as the Goōhōin, which were stamped on one side with intricate designs of stylized crows. During the medieval period, these and similar gofu produced by other shrines were often employed in oath taking and contract drafting, with the terms of the oath or agreement being written on the blank side of the sheet. The shinsatsu currently found in most Shinto shrines meanwhile are modeled after the talisman issued by the Grand Shrines of Ise called Jingū Taima. Jingū Taima were originally purification wands that wandering preachers associated with the shrines of Ise handed out to devotees across the country as a sign and guarantee that prayers were conducted on their behalf. These wands, called Oharai Taima, were contained either in packets of folded paper - in which case they are called kenharai, due to the packet's shape resembling a sword blade - or in boxes called oharaibako. The widespread distribution of Oharai Taima first began in the Muromachi period and reached its peak in the Edo period: a document dating from 1777 indicates that eighty-nine to ninety percent of all households in the country at the time owned an Ise talisman. witnessed the rise of public festivities and protests known as ee ja nai ka triggered by reports of talismans raining from the sky. In 1871, an imperial decree abolished the oshi and allotted the production and distribution of the amulets, now renamed Jingū Taima, to the shrine's administrative offices. It was around this time that the talisman changed into its present day form: a wooden tablet containing a sliver of cedar wood known as gyoshin wrapped in paper on which is printed the shrine's name and stamped with the seals of the shrine and its high priest. In 1900, a new department, the Kanbesho, took over production and distribution duties. The distribution of Jingū Taima was eventually delegated to the National Association of Shinto Priests in 1927 and finally to its successor, the Association of Shinto Shrines, after World War II. The Association nowadays continues to disseminate Jingū Taima to affiliated shrines throughout Japan, where they are made available alongside the shrines' own amulets.
Varieties and usage
Ofuda - both shinsatsu and gofu - come in a variety of forms. Some are slips or sheets of paper, others like the Jingū Taima are thin rectangular plaques enclosed in an envelope-like casing, while still others are wooden tablets which may be smaller or larger than regular shinsatsu. Some shrines distribute kenharai, which consists of a sliver of wood placed inside a fold of paper. As noted above, the Oharai Taima issued by the shrines of Ise before the Meiji period were usually in the form of kenharai; while the kakuharai variety is currently more widespread, Jingū Taima of the kenharai type are still distributed in Ise Shrine. and its paper casing on which is written the name of the shrine or the epithet of its deity - in this case, 'Kōjinyama-no-Ōkami' ' - and stamped with the seals of the shrine and its priest. Ofuda and omamori are available year round in many shrines and temples, especially in larger ones with a permanent staff. As these items are sacred, they are technically not 'bought' but rather 'received', with the money paid in exchange for them being considered to be a donation or offering. One may also receive a wooden talisman called a kitōfuda after having formal prayers or rituals performed on one's behalf in these places of worship. Shinsatsu such as Jingū Taima are enshrined in a household altar or a special stand ; in the absence of one, they may be placed upright in a clean and tidy space above eye level or attached to a wall. Shinsatsu and the kamidana that house them are set up facing east, south, or southeast. The Association of Shinto Shrines recommends that a household own at least three kinds of shinsatsu:
The ofuda of a shrine one is personally devoted to
In a 'three-door' style altar, the Jingū Taima is placed in the middle, with the ofuda of one's local ujigami on its left and the ofuda of one's favorite shrine on its right. Alternatively, in a 'one-door' style kamidana, the three talismans are laid on top of one another, with the Jingū Taima on the front. One may own more shinsatsu; these are placed on either side of or behind the aforementioned three. Regular worship before the shinsatsu or kamidana and offerings of rice, salt, water, and/or sake to the kami are recommended. The manner of worship is similar to those performed in shrines: two bows, two claps, and a final bow, though a prayer - also preceded by two bows - may be recited before this. in Tokyo Other ofuda are placed in other parts of the house. For instance, ofuda of patron deities of the hearth - Sanbō-Kōjin in Buddhism, :ja:かまど神|Kamado-Mihashira-no-Kami in Shinto - are placed in the kitchen. In toilets, a talisman of the Buddhist wrathful deityUcchuṣma, who is believed to purify the unclean, may be installed. Protective gofu such as Tsuno Daishi are placed on doorways or entrances. Japanese spirituality lays great importance on purity and pristineness, especially of things related to the divine. It is for this reason that periodic replacement of ofuda and omamori are encouraged. It is customary to obtain new ofuda before the end of the year at the earliest or during the New Year season, though one may purchase one at other times of the year as well. While ideally, old ofuda and omamori are to be returned to the shrine or temple where they were obtained as a form of thanksgiving, most Shinto shrines in practice accept talismans from other shrines. Old ofuda and omamori are burned in a ceremony known either as Sagichō or Dondoyaki held during the Little New Year, the end of the Japanese New Year season.
