Jack, Anna (pictured), Phil and I tried our hand at "omikuji" at the big Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in Kamakura. Omikuji are fortunes that you draw by shaking a box of numbered sticks, the number corresponding to a white piece of paper with the fortune written on it. You can pray to improve your fortunes by folding and tying the omikuji paper onto a contraption shrines have, with horizontal wires. You can see it in the picture.
Seems when I take customers touring, someone always has to pull a "kyo" (worst luck)! Oh well, it can only get better. My year end omikuji in 2007 was a "kyo" but I drew a "daikichi" or "best luck" on New Years day, my birthday. Good luck to all in 2008!
