Inu-hariko and Den-den daiko Ema

One of the most interesting aspects of the Japanese spirituality, the ema wooden plaques are an inexhaustible source of creativity. Used by worshipers to convey their wishes to the gods, they are often made with region-specific design which also varies according to the desired type of wish. While traveling through Japan I was amazed by the variety of shapes and drawings.

In today's photo you can see an ema from Yuki-jinja, a shrine located on the sacred mount of Kurama in Kyoto. From its design, with an inu-hariko and a den-den daiko, it looks like it was made for children-related wishes: the inu-hariko is a papier-mâché toy shaped like a dog (inu in Japanese) which is also a talisman for easy child birth and children health, while the den-den daiko is a Japanese traditional toy pellet drum.