“Omamori” ; Japanese lucky charm (amulets)

by Kanko*

When the New Year has arrived, I’d always visit a shrine for Hatumode, and consult an oracle or get a lucky charm (amulets) each year. Of course I did so this year, too.

The lucky charms usually categorized by the area of your wish such as “prosperous business”, “successful study”, “well-being of family” and “fulfillment of love or wish for finding a partner”.

by Kanko*

Nowadays, they have more fun sort of luck charms featuring the popular characters such as Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty or Snoopy and they are all cute. But I think that those traditional lucky charms with delicate fabrics are still very pretty.

Happy Hello Kitty Omamori (Strapya World!)

There are some books　(in Japanese) introducing the lucky charms form shrines and temples in Kyoto.

Omamori - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Omamori (about.com)

Kagami mochi ; Japanese traditional new year decoration

Kagami mochi,literally mirror rice cake, is a traditional Japanese New Year decoration. It usually consists of two round mochi (rice cakes), the smaller placed a top the larger, and a mikan (a Japanese bitter orange) with an attached leaf on top.

Further to this, it may have a sheet of konbu and a skewer of dried persimmons under the mochi.

by midorisyu

It is traditionally broken and eaten in a Shinto ritual called kagami biraki (mirror opening) on the second Saturday or Sunday of January.

Kagami mochi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia