December 28, 2019Last updated : November 25, 2021Ryoji Shimada
Ema (絵馬 えま)
Japan is a land of many deities. This is the time of the year when Shinto shrines receive a flood of supplications to the god of knowledge. These ema (wooden votive tablets) bear students’ prayers for passing school entrance examinations. Since people are always requesting special favors, gods in Japan aren’t able to take it easy.