Where they come from
Temples & shrines
Charms from these temples and shrines across Japan, shipped to the US with duties included. None of them ship internationally on their own.
Zojoji Temple
Shiba, Tokyo — at the foot of Tokyo Tower
The family temple of the Tokugawa shoguns, founded in 1393 — and home to Buddhist scriptures listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World register. Its great main hall, with Tokyo Tower rising behind it, is one of the most striking views in the city.
23 charms
浅草寺Sensoji Temple
Asakusa, Tokyo
Tokyo's oldest temple, founded in 628. Its Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), hung with a giant red lantern, is one of the most recognizable sights in all of Japan.
21 charms
明治神宮Meiji Jingu Shrine
Harajuku, Tokyo
A Shinto shrine completed in 1920, set in a forest of about 100,000 trees in the middle of Tokyo — and the shrine that welcomes more New Year visitors than any other in Japan.
3 charms
川崎大師Kawasaki Daishi Temple
Kawasaki, Kanagawa — just across the river from Tokyo
A Shingon Buddhist temple founded in 1128 and one of the best-known places in Japan to pray for protection from misfortune (yakuyoke). Every New Year, it ranks among the three most visited temples and shrines in the country.
18 charms
大宮八幡宮Omiya Hachimangu Shrine
Suginami, Tokyo
Known as the “navel of Tokyo” because it sits near the geographic center of the city, this spacious Shinto shrine is a favorite of local families — especially for charms for safe childbirth, children and pets.
29 charms
熊野本宮大社Kumano Hongu Taisha
Tanabe, Wakayama — the spiritual center of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes, a UNESCO World Heritage site
One of the three grand shrines of Kumano, at the heart of the Kumano Kodo — the network of ancient pilgrimage trails through the Kii mountains that, together with the Camino de Santiago in Spain, are among the very few pilgrimage routes recognized as UNESCO World Heritage.
1 charm
三峯神社Mitsumine Shrine
Chichibu, Saitama — deep in the mountains, about 1,100 meters up
A Shinto shrine on a mountain ridge in Chichibu, said to date back some 1,900 years — and one of Japan’s most talked-about "power spots," known above all for its wolf guardians and its "Ki" energy charm.
1 charm