There are a lot of shrines in Japan. In fact, it is downright shocking how many there are for a country in which people state they are absolutely not religious. At many shrines, various good luck charms are on offer. The charms are good for a year and various types are supposed to bring you particular types of good fortune - driving, health, studies, etc. Though I am no fan of the fact that these things supposedly "run out of luck" after a year (which I view as blatant commercialism meant to get you to buy new charms every year), I am often amused by how absurd some of the charms look.
In an overtly spiritual setting, there's something delightfully crass about seeing things like "Hello Kitty" on their charms, and I'll miss that.
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