Hamaya "破魔矢" the good souvenir from Japan.

Mission Hamaya "破魔矢" ( written 10 Jan 2014)

 

Have you found a souvenir from Japan yet?

 

I`d like to let you know "hamaya" as your souvenir to your family or friends from Japan.

 

 

Hamaya "破魔矢" literally means that an arrow to break the evil.

 

 

 

As you see the above pics a wooden plate called ema "絵馬" is hanging down the arrow.

Ema ”絵馬”litelally means a drawn horse. However, long ago, only the rich people could bedicate the horses to the shrines. While, it's impossible for the general public to organize the horses today. Therefore, they started the new system that is dedicating a wooden plate called ema ”絵馬” instead of a horse to dedicate to a shrine.

 

 

 

Traditionally, a sign of 12 oriental zodiac of the year is painted on ema "絵馬". It's year of the horse in 2014.

 

Speaking of the oriental zodiac, I remenber the movie "Year of the dragon".

  Have you seen the movie before?  However, The movie featurs Micky  Rourke  as the Eliot Ness style commited detective who battles to bust the Chinese mafia in New York. The movie is one of Rourke's premier movies.

 Speaking of Micky Rourke, I've watched one of Rourke's recent movies titled "The wrestler".However, the movie was pretty good, the movie is about the Charles Bukowski like useless, half alcoholic, old professional wrestler Randy "the lamb"Robinson. In the movie, Robinson's exhausted personality equals Mickey Rourke him self.

Also, the movie shows you some "bad ass" tricks on the ring as well as nasty steroid injections. In short, the movie breaks through your image to Rourke. Must watch.

However, Mickey Rourke was popular back in the early 90's in Japan, he was on a TV commercial advertising whiskey and stuff. Rourke even got on the boxing ring to fight in the nation. In fact, the fight was just joking got criticized badly by the people who love the sport.

Due to the dodgy fight, Rourke gradually lost his popularity to be despaired in the far East.

 

Conclusion

Actually, what I want to tell you through this blog is about "hamaya" not about Rourke. As you see, hamaya looks cool as well as it functions as a lucky charm. I would say "this is pretty much it."

 

 

(a friend of mine bought me the hamaya at The Kasugataishya Shrine. Cost her ¥1500.)