Omikuji, Son of Destiny (Japan, Kyoto)

In Japan, omikuji (おみくじ) are strips of paper containing divinatory predictions that are drawn in Shinto or Buddhist temples . If the predicted fortune is favorable, it is kept preciously; if it is bad, it is tied to metal wires, branches or grilles. This symbolic gesture aims to bind the bad luck , to prevent it from coming true.

In Kyoto, these paper wishing trees create fragile forests of suspended hopes. Each knot represents a choice, a fear laid bare, a future feared or hoped for. Omikuji form a silent weave of popular faith , personal ritual , and the Japanese aesthetic of the transient.