At Japanese Shinto shrines, small wooden plaques used for written wishes are called ema.
Visitors typically write prayers, hopes, thanks, or requests on an ema and hang it at a shrine. Many plaques feature a horse or another image connected with the shrine. The word ema means “picture horse,” reflecting an older tradition in which horses were offered to kami.
Because horses were expensive and difficult to provide, wooden or clay representations eventually became practical substitutes. Over time, the plaques acquired varied designs and came to carry personal messages, including wishes for health, success, examinations, or relationships.
Ema are offerings rather than fortune slips. Omikuji are paper fortunes drawn at shrines and temples, while norito are formal spoken prayers. Some ema remain on shrine grounds until they are ritually burned or otherwise disposed of by the institution.