learn/[id]

ETIQUETTE

4 min read

絵

ETIQUETTE

How to Write Ema: Proper Etiquette and History of Votive Tablets

Ema (votive tablets) evolved from ancient live horse offerings to shrines. Learn the proper way to write your wish, whether to include your name, and how to hang your ema correctly.

Contents

MOKUJI

What Is Ema?

›

How to Write Ema: Step by Step

›

Etiquette at the Ema Rack

›

Ema at Key Shrines

›

FAQ

›

What Is Ema?

Ema are small wooden votive tablets on which worshippers write wishes or prayers and hang at shrines or temples. The tradition originated in the Nara period (8th century) when live horses were offered to deities to pray for rain or abundant harvests. As live horses were expensive, wooden or clay horse images gradually replaced them — and eventually evolved into the wooden tablets we see today.

How to Write Ema: Step by Step

Write on the back (the side without the illustration)

Write your name and address (optional but traditional): e.g., “Tanaka [Name] from Tokyo” — helps the deity know who is asking

Write your wish specifically: Instead of just “exam success,” write “Please help me pass the entrance exam for [school name]”

Add the date (optional)

Hang it at the ema-kakejo (votive tablet rack) after worship

What to write with: Use a permanent marker or ink brush pen — ballpoint pens fade in rain. The shrine usually provides brushes at the writing area.

Etiquette at the Ema Rack

•

Hang your ema after completing your main worship at the main hall

•

Avoid reading other people’s ema out of respect for their privacy

•

Purchased ema is meant to be hung, not taken home (though some shrines sell take-home versions)

Ema at Key Shrines

•

Yushima Tenmangu: Famous for exam-season ema (Jan-Mar); plum blossoms in February create a beautiful backdrop

•

Kitano Tenmangu: Headquarter Tenmangu shrine; the January “uso-kae” ceremony lets you exchange bad luck for good

•

Kanda Myojin: Unique anime and game-themed ema; business success and love

•

Kanei-ji: Tokugawa shogunate family temple; historical atmosphere

•

Kiyomizudera: Romance and matchmaking ema

FAQ

How much does ema cost?

Typically 500-1,000 yen. Special designs or larger tablets may cost 1,500-3,000 yen.

Can I take home an ema I’ve already written?

Once hung at the ema rack, it should remain — the shrine performs purification rituals (otakiage) for all hung ema. Some shrines sell separate “take-home ema” for personal display.

What if my handwriting is bad?

The deity cares about sincerity, not calligraphy. Write clearly and carefully, and your wish will be received.

Last updated: May 2026

湯島天満宮, related to 絵馬の書き方

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

北野天満宮, related to 絵馬の書き方

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

神田明神, related to 絵馬の書き方

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

東叡山寛永寺, related to 絵馬の書き方

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

清水寺, related to 絵馬の書き方