All entries
2,000 entries so far, best known first. 3,529 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
OccasionWeddings and betrothalFestivalsBirth and childhoodDeath and remembranceHarvest, farming and weatherNew yearInitiation and coming of ageIllness and misfortuneJourneys and voyagesEveryday use
PeopleJapanese (remove)
🇯🇵 JapanKitsunebi狐火
Atmospheric ghost lights in Japanese folklore, often linked to foxes and natural phenomena.Belief · Wonder and entertainment · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanOmamori御守/お守り
Japanese amulets from shrines and temples for luck and protectionCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanSetsubun節分
A Japanese seasonal rite to drive away bad luck and welcome spring with roasted beansRite · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanShinto shrine神社 (jinja)
A structure housing kami deities within the Shinto tradition of JapanTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreTetraphobia
The avoidance of the number four due to its similarity to the word for death in East Asian languagesBelief · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanZashiki-warashi座敷童子
A parlor spirit from northern Japan that brings fortune or ruin to a household.Being · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreTanabataたなばた (七夕)
A Japanese celebration of star-crossed lovers and written wishesTradition · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living
🇯🇵 JapanKami神
Spirits and deities of Shinto, found in nature, ancestors, and placesBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreManeki-neko招き猫
A Japanese figurine of a beckoning cat believed to bring luck and prosperityCharm · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreGuanyin觀音 (Guānyīn)
The Bodhisattva of compassion, worshipped across East Asia as a listener to human sufferingBeing · Protection · Healing Living
🇯🇵 JapanYōkai妖怪
A vast class of supernatural spirits and entities in Japanese folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 JapanDaruma doll達磨
A round Japanese talisman that rights itself when knocked overCharm · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese fortune telling算命 (Suànmìng)
Reading faces, palms, birth hours and places to map a person's luck through lifeTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanŌkuninushi大国主神
A Japanese kami of the earth, nation-building, and protective magic.Being · Protection · Healing Living
🇯🇵 JapanOnmyōdō陰陽道
A Japanese system of divination and calendar science rooted in yin-yang philosophyTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Protection Revived
🇯🇵 JapanOmikujiおみくじ
Paper fortunes drawn at Japanese shrines and temples to reveal luck and life adviceOracle · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanOni鬼（おに）
A horned demon of Japanese folklore known for strength and evil deedsBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanOmamori (sample)お守り
A small shrine charm in a brocade pouch.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanTeru teru bōzuてるてる坊主
A white paper doll hung outside to ask for sunny weatherCharm · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanHatsuyume初夢
The first dream of the new year and its traditional omensBelief · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanSaruboboさるぼぼ
A faceless red doll from Japan, given as a charm for family and fortuneCharm · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreTennin天人
Heavenly beings in Japanese Buddhism, often depicted as beautiful women with feathered scarves.Being · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreGood Luck Flag寄せ書き日の丸 (yosegaki hinomaru)
A Japanese national flag signed by loved ones to wish a soldier safety and victory.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanKin no unko金のうんこ
A Japanese charm shaped like faeces that is believed to bring good fortuneCharm · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanHamaya破魔矢
A blunt arrow given at shrines to ward off evil and secure good luck for the new yearCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanFukusuke福助
A kneeling Japanese doll believed to bring wealth and honorCharm · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living
🇯🇵 JapanUchide no kozuchi打ち出の小槌
A legendary Japanese magic hammer that taps out desired items from thin airFigure · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanOsaki尾先
A mountain spirit in Japanese folklore that brings wealth or possession.Being · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanDōbutsu uranai動物占い
A Japanese divination system that sorts people into animal types based on birthdate and personality axes.Oracle · Luck and prosperity Living
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreBuddhist coin charm佛教品壓勝錢
Amulets shaped like coins that bear Buddhist symbols and prayers for protection.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreJapanese numismatic charm絵銭
Coin-shaped charms from Japan used for protection, luck, and blessings.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanJapanese superstitions
Common beliefs in Japan about luck, numbers, and omens rooted in language and customBelief · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living
🇨🇳 China and 3 moreMarriage coin charm夫婦和合花錢
Coin-shaped amulets from East Asia that celebrate marriage, fertility, and conjugal harmonyCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreTooth fairy
A childhood figure who exchanges lost baby teeth for gifts or coins.Figure · Luck and prosperity Living
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreNew Thought
A spiritual philosophy linking mental states to physical health and prosperityTradition · Healing · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanOkiagari-koboshi起き上がり小法師
A Japanese roly-poly doll that rights itself when knocked overCharm · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living
🇨🇳 China and 3 moreCash方孔錢
A round copper coin with a square hole used in China and East Asia for two millennia.Charm · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇹🇼 Taiwan and 1 moreAuspicious train ticket吉祥語車票
Train tickets with station names that form lucky phrases through wordplay.Charm · Luck and prosperity Living
🇨🇳 China and 2 moreThree-legged crow三足烏
A mythological bird representing the sun in East Asian traditionsFigure · Power and authority · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanMakuragaeshi枕返し
A Japanese spirit that flips pillows and turns sleepers upside downBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreBake-danuki化け狸
A shape-shifting raccoon dog spirit from Japanese folklore known for pranks and illusions.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanKabura-ya鏑矢
A Japanese arrow with a whistling tip used in ritual archery and Shinto ritesSubstance · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇯🇵 JapanYama-uba山姥
A Japanese mountain spirit depicted as either a cannibalistic monster or a benevolent guardian.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanChīsai-ojisan小さいおじさん
A tiny Japanese cryptid said to bring luck when spotted in everyday placesFigure · Luck and prosperity Living
🇯🇵 JapanAmabieアマビエ
A prophetic sea creature from Japan that wards off disease with its imageFigure · Protection · Seeing and foretelling Legendary
🇯🇵 JapanAyakashi妖
Water spirits and ghost lights in Japanese folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreChain letterFukou no Tegami
A message that demands copying and forwarding to avoid bad luck or gain fortuneBelief · Luck and prosperity · Cursing and harm Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Guanyin: JL Cogburn, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Sarubobo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Hatsuyume: Takeuchi Seihō, Public domain, source
- Teru teru bōzu: Novaric at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Good Luck Flag: takato marui, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Daruma doll: Crisco 1492, Public domain, source
- Kabura-ya: urasimaru, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Kin no unko: enmoto, CC BY 2.0, source
- Tennin: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Hamaya: Tomomarusan, CC BY 2.5, source
- Onmyōdō: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Omikuji: C121749n, Public domain, source
- Oni: Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760-1849), Public domain, source
- Setsubun: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Shinto shrine: No machine-readable author provided. Fg2 assumed (based on copyright c, Public domain, source
- Tetraphobia: Halowand, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fukusuke: Nesnad, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tanabata: Laika ac, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Kami: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Maneki-neko: Su--May, CC BY 2.0, source
- Uchide no kozuchi: Yashima Gakutei, CC0, source
- Kitsunebi: Abasaa, Public domain, source
- Yōkai: Kyosai Kawanabe (河鍋 暁斎), Public domain, source
- Omamori: Leongboy1, Public domain, source
- Ōkuninushi: Yashima Gakutei, CC0, source
- Buddhist coin charm: Scott Semans, CC BY 3.0, source
- Chinese fortune telling: Lai Afong, Public domain, source
- Marriage coin charm: Scott Semans, CC BY 3.0, source
- Tooth fairy: Eden, CC BY 2.0, source
- New Thought: Nyttend, Public domain, source
- Yama-uba: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Amabie: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Chain letter: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Okiagari-koboshi: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cash: User 冷玉 on zh.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Auspicious train ticket: SSR2000, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Three-legged crow: Jinsha Site Museum. Original author: ancient Shu people., Public domain, source
- Bake-danuki: Poposhka at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source