Owl Omamori

The reason can be found in the Japanese name for owl, Fukuro (梟), which can be written in different sets of characters. One can have the meaning of luck (福 fuku, luck; 来ku, to come; 郎 ro, suffix used in boys’ names), and the other as protection from hardship (不 fu, no, 苦労 kurou suffering/hardship). The word itself can be read as meaning “without hardship”.

Through this play on words, owls have been seen as figures that bring good fortune. They have become popular as engimono (縁起物), or lucky charms. It is common to give owl-related gifts to a graduating student to wish them luck. Some people believe that owls of different colours and shapes can have different influences on the type of luck they bring. For example, pink owls can bring love, while gold owls can bring wealth.

 

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