Alexandre Gervais

Washi or Wagami (和紙) is a type of paper made in Japan. Washi is commonly made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub (Edgeworthia papyrifera), or the paper mulberry, but also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat. Washi comes from wa meaning Japanese and shi meaning paper, and the term is used to describe paper made by hand in the traditional manner. Washi is generally tougher than ordinary paper made from wood pulp, and is used in many traditional arts. Origami, Shodo, and Ukiyo-e were all produced using washi. Wikipedia

Japanese calligraphy (書道 shodō) is a form of calligraphy, or artistic writing, of the Japanese language. For a long time, the most esteemed calligrapher in Japan had been Wang Xizhi, a Chinese calligrapher in the 4th century but after the invention of Hiragana and Katakana, the Japanese unique syllabaries, the distinctive Japanese writing system developed and calligraphers produced styles intrinsic to Japan.Wikipedia

Most Shinto shrines in Japan sell fortunes, called おみくじ (Omikuji) which typically sells for ¥100. You then get to shake a wooden box upside down until a bamboo stick pops from a small hole. Every stick has a number on it, which corresponds to a specific fortune. If you get a good fortune then you bring it home with you. However if it’s a bad omen it’s better to leave it at the shrine, and that’s when you tie it around a tree branch or a rope…