Lost Mines and the Secret of Getting Rich Quick

old! The very word fuels the imagination. And when that furnace is stoked, folklore is not far behind. Legends of lost mines are at the heart of traditions inspired by gold, greed and dreams of sudden wealth. Tales of mines won and lost are international, but they are especially common in the West of the […]

Tanuki: Mischief, Magic and Change in the Japanese Countryside

The Japanese raccoon dog or tanuki, a shape-shifting, hedonistic and jovial trickster, has always lived in the borderlands between human settlement and the wilderness

Protection from Evil, Bad Traffic or Bears: Omamori in Japanese Culture

Although their origins lie in Japanese folk traditions, omamori are still a popular sight throughout Japan. The word itself, 御守り, doesn’t have a direct translation into English, but they are protection charms – usually for sale within both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines – which are said to contain spirits.

The Four-Leaf Clover: Druids, Eden, and… Handbags?

Generally, clover represents protection, fertility and abundance, but where does the widespread belief in a four leaf clover’s good luck come from?

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