Your wish plaque
$45An ema (絵馬) is a wooden plaque used to leave a wish at a Japanese shrine. Your wish might be for health, love, a new beginning, or someone you care about.
We visit one of Kyoto's many shrines for you or someone you love, each with its own designs and traditions. For plaques displayed at the shrine, we handwrite your wish with a brush pen, in English or Japanese, and hang the plaque there.
Choose a wish plaque displayed at the shrine, a wish plaque mailed directly to you, or both. Mailed plaques arrive blank for you to write your own wish. They are not hung or dedicated at the shrine.
Your purchases help keep Kyoto shrines beautiful and vibrant! We visit not only major shrines but also pay homage at smaller neighborhood shrines. Therefore, a portion of your purchase goes directly to maintaining local places of worship that might otherwise fall into neglect.
Shrine visits dailyDelivery of images may take up to one weekDelivery of posted items may take up to 2 weeks to arrive
What your order includes
A real shrine visit
A real person in Kyoto visits a shrine on your behalf.
Photos and video
Shrine photographs and one video, with personal plaque photographs for wishes displayed at the shrine. Mailed plaques are yours to discover when they arrive.
The physical item
Your displayed wish plaque stays at the shrine. If you choose a mailed plaque, it is sent directly to you by tracked post instead.
Detailed knowledge of each shrine
Learn about the history, traditions, and local significance of the specific shrine where your wish plaque was obtained.
StandardDEFAULT · INCLUDED IN CURRENT PRICES
All images and video are taken by real people on the ground using high-end phone cameras. The aim is to provide results as good as, or considerably better than, what most people post to their social media accounts. This is not professional or commercial production; for that we use dedicated photographers and image specialists and a separate fee structure — feel free to contact us for details at info@japanwishes.com
CinematicAVAILABLE ON REQUEST
A properly produced result with a professional camera and an experienced operator. This includes considerably more time at the shrine and proper colour grading.
Enquire for DetailsOption 1 · Displayed at the shrine
Your personal delivery
A wish plaque written by hand for you—or for someone you love—at a shrine in Kyoto.
Your personal delivery page includes:
- Photographs of the shrine, taken on the day we visit for you.
- Personal photographs of your wish being written and your plaque displayed, if you choose a plaque that stays at the shrine.
- Social-media-ready images and one video to share.
- An introduction to the shrine where your wish plaque comes from.
Option 2 · Mailed plaque
Your wish, in your words
Mailed plaques arrive blank and are never hung or dedicated at the shrine. Write your wish in your own words, then keep the plaque as a memento or give it to someone you love.
For a plaque displayed at the shrine, share a wish for yourself or someone you love, in up to 250 characters. We write it by hand, in English or Japanese. Names are welcome. The only wish we cannot write is one for someone's harm.
If you leave your plaque at the shrine, other visitors may read or photograph it.
Ema Gallery
Ema selected for public display