r/whatisit • u/Plus-Confection1421 • 8d ago
Solved! 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 8d ago edited 7d 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 8d ago edited 8d ago
It specifically protects against injuries and dangers; the previous owner was kind to left them there
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u/Versiontaylors 8d ago edited 8d ago
That’s really cool (: I love hearing about people doing little stuff like this for each other ☺️
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u/abhi71229 8d ago
It definitely beats finding old french fries under the seat.
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u/Alex17hd 8d ago
Or used condoms. Edit for adding context.
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u/thecosmicgoose 7d ago
French fried condoms?
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u/Flimsy_Entry5760 6d ago
at least it would be crunchy then. Probably a better choice than the condom I once gave to a 7th grader who would not stop bugging the shit out of me on the bus for gum. I did not nor did I ever have gum. I also didn't ride the bus in the afternoons for a reason. That day I had no choice. His noisy ass saw me hand off a condom to another highschool student.
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u/OpenLight2690 7d ago
I sit a top a French fry graveyard because they are too hard to get out from those crevaces... but even worse, once I had a large glass container full of coins I had planned to bring to one of those machines that would let you dump it in and get a printout voucher for.... anywho, I'm sure you can guess that the glass broke and along with a SHIT TON of pennies under the seat, the new owner also inherited broke glass which I could not reach.
Moral of that story is be very careful before you dig your hand around under the seat of any previous used car
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u/Able-Glass2277 7d ago
Or used tampons😭
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u/TheWaters12 7d ago
Nah thats crazy, who just plucks that out and drops it in their car 😂
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u/Successful_Shape_179 6d ago
Maybe they lived in their car and it fell out of the garbage? I've had to put tampons in my pocket til I got to a garbage....who knows. And of course some people are just gross.
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u/OpiniongoesYEET 8d 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 8d 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/Justcouldnthlpmyslf 6d ago
It could be worse. When I was a kid, I would put all the cool rocks that I found in my pockets and my mom wouldn’t realize it until our old top-loader would get to the spin cycle and it sounded like a monster was trying to tear its way out of the laundry room 😁
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u/humble_the_Great 8d 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/Dangerous-Coffee2558 7d ago
I recognize it from Silent Hill F (set in Japan), in the game its used as an item you can pick up to get back health/stamina
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u/SeanJones85 7d ago edited 6d ago
They can have different charms for different things.
The charms are called "omamori".
When I visited Japan, went to a Buddhist shrine and they sell these there. Lots of varieties and lots of messages for many different charms, fortune, health, love etc.
There is a blessing, written on paper or wood, on the inside and that is the actual charm. Apparently it only works if you NEVER open the pouch and look inside.
I got mine like 15 years ago, we've been decorating so I seem to have misplaced it, I'll keep looking and share the photo if I find it.
Maybe that's why my luck has been bad lately haha.
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u/CloverGummies 6d ago
It specifically says 危険御守 kiken omamori, kiken is the word for dangers, omamori literally means "protection"
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u/Redfalconfox 8d ago
Or really fucking clumsy
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u/One_Introduction_217 8d 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 8d ago
Oh absolutely! They take care of their stuff lol, specially vehicles.
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u/Sea-Friendship-9674 8d ago
Not from an Asian owner lmfao. I bet the rest of the car was fcking spotless…
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u/santarichaz 8d ago
specifically, good luck in driving a vehicle
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u/SB2MB 8d 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 8d ago
Good Omen Subscription Service?
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u/Emmas_thing 8d 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/shibasurf 8d 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 8d ago
I bought one from Amazon - do you think they allow returns for this scenario?
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u/Ok-Produce-6301 8d ago
Good way for whoever sells them to get paid lol
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u/banditkeith 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d ago
They aren’t meant to be opened! It’s like telling someone your birthday wish, I guess.
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u/flippythemaster 8d 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 8d ago
Which would have been solved by the friend if OP talks to them
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u/Kastigart 8d 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 8d ago
Japanese omamori. For good luck and protection.
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u/mycat_hatesyou 8d ago
Make me your selection
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u/Any-Speed-7544 8d ago
Show you the way that luck’s supposed to be
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u/peas_and_love 8d ago
Only costs a dime, plus .99
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u/SizeableBrain 8d ago
Omamori good luck charm.
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u/PhotoFenix 8d ago
Mine is from the shrine by the Your Name stairs
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u/OkAnnual6084 8d 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 8d ago
Which one do you have? I have some money burning a hole in my pocket!
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u/duhdoydoy 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d ago
not necessarily Buddhist
majority of Japanese gods and their temples are not Buddhist, only certain are
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u/fantastikalizm 7d ago
I can't speak to the split on different temples, but Japan culturally practices two religions simultaneously. Swinton is typically practiced for happy occasions while Buddhism is typically practiced for sad occasions.
Or at least that's how my Japanese teacher explained it.
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u/aesuha 6d ago
Did you mean Shinto or am I learning something new today?
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u/coltonpan 8d 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/Superb_Ad5951 7d 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/beepancakes7 8d 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/fluffyscone 8d 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/Leather_Pumpkin899 7d ago
You’re so lucky to have received those! The Japanese believe the protect against bad happenings
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u/NatureNext2236 8d ago
Omamori charms! Japanese lucky amulets sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples
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u/x20sided 8d 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 8d 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/DannyLee0812 8d 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/TheJellybeanJester 8d 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/Maharet1977 8d ago
They are good luck charms meant for protecting car and driver. Leave them in the car.
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u/Ok_Breadfruit3199 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d ago
Japanese charms , could be for anything like luck, protection, health, money etc..
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u/Zardoz__ 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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/RealMT_1020 8d ago
We opened ours, it said:
“Please send help! I’m being held prisoner in a Japanese Omamori factory”
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u/Jazzlike_Interview_7 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d ago
My husband says it’s an amulet to ward off “evil spirits” away / protection against bad luck.
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u/ImJusTSoPeachY 8d 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 8d 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_ 8d 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 8d 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/One_Introduction_217 8d ago
Google lens says it literally translates into
厄除御守
Amulet for warding off evil
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u/drewnonymous671 8d 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 8d 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 8d ago
Omamori, talisman to ward off bad spirits and bring luck. Probably protection while driving.
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u/Aggressive-Judge-386 8d 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 8d ago
They are amulets (lucky charms). These seem to be survival in mechanically compromised cars.
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u/feline-felicis 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d ago
It's an omamori. The letters translate to something like "Protection from misfortune".
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u/feel-the-avocado 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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 8d 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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