I’ve written previously about my kamidana – my household Shinto shrine. I talked about how the most important part of the Shinto shrine is the ofuda; a paper charm that carries the essence of kami. One thing I didn’t mention was that ofuda, like many other Shinto items, are traditionally not considered to be permanent. On January 15th, it’s traditional to return the ofuda to the shrine where it was purchased, so it can be respectfully cremated in a ceremony... Read more