Omikuji are fortunes written on paper at Shinto shrines and temples. The word “o” is usually put at the top of something honorable, and “mi” literally means “sacred” and “kuji” means “lottery”, however, as to the part that reads “mi” of the word, a Kanji meaning “god” is used for the ones at shrines, while a Kanji meaning Buddha is used for the ones at temples. The fortune written on a piece of paper is divided into one’s whole fortune, chances to find a lost item or find a match, and general matters about health, money, and life, which can be described as any one of the following: Great blessing (dai-kichi), Blessing (kichi), Middle blessing (chū-kichi), Small blessing (shō-kichi), and Curse (kyō). Or more precisely, Great blessing (dai-kichi), Blessing (kichi), Middle blessing (chū-kichi), Small blessing (shō-kichi), Half-blessing (han-kichi), Near-blessing (sue-kichi), Near-small-blessing (sue-shō-kichi), Curse (kyō), Small curse (shō-kyō), Half-curse (han-kyō), Near-curse (sue-kyō), and Great curse (dai-kyō). After reading Omikuji, it is a custom to fold up the strip of paper and tie it up to a tree in the precincts. The reason for this custom is the idea that tying means marridge tie. So this custom should have been originally practiced only at a shrine where a marridge deity was enshrined, but nowadays it is practiced at every shrine and temple.