Ema Hanging In The Meiji Shrine In Tokyo Editorial Photo

Shinto worshipers write down their hopes, wishes, and prayers on small wooden plaques called Ema. Ema means `picture of a horse.` In the olden times, people actually bring a horse as a donation but because it was highly impractical, people started bringing pictures of horses on wooden plaques. Eventually, it has evolved to the wooden plaques they use today. These plaques are hung in the shrine where the deities are believed to receive them. Dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shōken, this 200-acre Meiji Shrine is the capital`s most famous Shinto shrine.