Discover Japan's Year-End Traditions with These 12 Lucky Charms

The start of a new year in Japan is a time filled with hope, renewal, and the promise of good fortune. For those eager to invite a bit of this auspicious spirit into their lives, Japan’s lucky charms, known as engimono, offer a fascinating glimpse into the country's rich cultural tapestry. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast of Japanese culture or just beginning your exploration, these charms are more than mere objects—they are symbols of prosperity and protection that have been cherished for centuries.

In Japan, the idea of luck intertwines with spirituality and tradition, manifesting in items known as engimono. Rooted in Buddhist philosophy, these lucky items signify the interconnectedness of human lives with divine forces. The term engi, derived from the Buddhist concept 'inen seigi', speaks to this connection. Here, en represents the invisible bond between humans and deities that grants fortune.

Lucky charms are often used during New Year celebrations to usher in prosperity. Historically, they were acquired on the first day of the year and placed on a special altar, the engidana, to ensure a house full of blessings. Today, these items are available year-round, but they hold a special significance during New Year festivities.

Originally given to boys during the Edo period to protect them from evil spirits, hamaya are now one of the most popular New Year’s talismans. These ceremonial arrows are sold at shrines during the first days of January and are said to “pierce through” bad luck.
They’re often displayed near the entrance of homes or businesses to serve as guardians against negative energies. Some families even keep last year’s hamaya alongside the new one until a shrine visit, reinforcing the cycle of protection and renewal.

With its rounded shape and wide-eyed stare, the daruma doll is a familiar face during New Year's celebrations. Modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, the doll is often used as a goal-setting tool.
When making a wish or resolution, one eye is filled in. Once that goal is achieved, the second eye is completed, turning the doll into a silent testament of perseverance. Many keep their completed daruma until the next New Year, then ceremoniously burn it at temples—a ritual of closure and new aspirations.

Found at entrances of shops, restaurants, and homes, the maneki neko welcomes wealth and opportunity with its raised paw. White cats symbolize purity, gold ones wealth, and pink ones romance.
Beyond business luck, these cats are believed to protect families and attract positive energy. During the New Year, many people choose a new maneki neko in hopes of inviting fresh blessings for the coming year.

Drawing an omikuji—a small fortune-telling slip—from a box at a shrine is a fun yet meaningful New Year tradition. These fortunes range from daikichi (great blessing) to daikyo (great curse).
If the fortune is bad, it's customary to tie the paper onto a tree or rack at the shrine to leave the misfortune behind. Some people even keep their omikuji in their wallets as a spiritual compass throughout the year.

A traditional New Year decoration made of two stacked rice cakes topped with a daidai (bitter orange), kagami mochi symbolizes harmony between generations and the renewal of life.
It’s typically placed in the household Shinto altar or the living room, acting as an offering to ancestral spirits. On January 11, during Kagami Biraki, families break and eat the mochi together, transforming a spiritual object into nourishment and good luck.

At Shinto shrines, people write prayers or wishes for the New Year on ema, small wooden plaques. Common hopes include success in exams, health for family, or safe childbirth.
Each shrine often has its own unique ema designs—featuring the year’s zodiac animal, deities, or local legends. Seeing walls covered in thousands of handwritten hopes creates a powerful mosaic of shared humanity.

Made from twisted rice straw, shimenawa are hung at the entrances of homes and shrines to purify spaces and ward off evil.
They often include paper streamers (shide) and citrus fruits to symbolize abundance and protection. Replacing old shimenawa with new ones is part of end-of-year rituals, helping to reset the spiritual energy of a space.

While yatsuhashi is primarily a Kyoto confection made of rice flour and cinnamon, it’s also shared during the New Year as a gesture of goodwill.
Fresh versions, filled with red bean paste and wrapped in soft mochi-like skins, are given to friends and family to “sweeten” the year ahead. Though not a ritual item, they carry the same heart of seasonal kindness.

Traditionally used in the game hanetsuki (similar to badminton), hagoita paddles now serve as decorative charms believed to swat away bad luck.
Intricately decorated with kabuki actors, historical figures, or floral patterns, they’re often displayed or gifted during the year-end as protective and aesthetic treasures. Collectors often see them as heirlooms symbolizing elegance and resilience.

During the Toka Ebisu Festival, especially in Osaka, worshippers flock to buy fukusasa—bamboo branches adorned with golden coins, masks, and rice bales.
These branches are dedicated to Ebisu, the god of commerce, and are believed to bring economic success and business luck. Many small shops keep their fukusasa displayed year-round as both a charm and a prayer for prosperity.

Although koinobori are best known as decorations for Children’s Day in May, they are also used during New Year in some regions as symbols of perseverance and progress.
The image of a carp swimming upstream reflects one’s determination to overcome obstacles. Hanging these colorful streamers signals a wish for personal growth and tenacity in the year to come.

Tebako are small, beautifully lacquered boxes used to store accessories, keepsakes, or offerings. Often passed down through generations, they signify wealth, order, and lasting affection.
During the New Year, giving or receiving a tebako becomes a way of expressing deep appreciation and the hope that one’s cherished possessions and relationships remain safe and meaningful.