thumb|Ema at the Kasuga Shinto shrine in Nara, 2004 At contemporary Shinto or Buddhist shrines, scribal traditions still play a role in creating ofuda (talismans), omikuji (fortunes or divination lots), ema (votive tablets), goshuin (calligraphic visitor stamps), and gomagi (inscribed sticks for ritual burning), forms that may employ a combination of stamps and handwriting on media. Today these are often mass producedCaleb Carter, "Power Spots and the Charged Landscape of Shinto," Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 45:1 (2018), pp. 160 (on commercialization), 162 (ofuda and omikuji), and 167 (goshuin). and commercialized for marketing to tourists.Yamanaka Hiroshi, 山中 弘, "Religious Change in Modern Japanese Society: Established Religions and Spirituality," Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 48:2 (2021), pp. 365-382, especially pp. 368, 372 (on goshuin), 374 (on gomagi and the importation of Western vocabulary such as "spiritual supplements"). Ema, for instance, began as large-scale pictorial representations that historically were created by professional artists. Small versions began to be produced and sold, and a complex symbology developed for the messages. Modern versions sold at shrines, often already stamped with their local affiliation, tend to be used more verbally, with space left for individuals to act as their own scribes in messaging the kami.Ian Reader, "Letters to the Gods: The Form and Meaning of Ema," Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 18:1 (1991), pp. 30–37.
thumb|Ema at the Kasuga Shinto shrine in Nara 2004 At contemporary Shinto or Buddhist shrines scribal traditions still play a role in creating ofuda (talismans) omikuji (fortunes or divination lots) ema (votive tablets) goshuin (calligraphic visitor stamps) and gomagi (inscribed sticks for ritual burning) forms that may employ a combination of stamps and handwriting on media Today these are often mass producedCaleb Carter "Power Spots and the Charged Landscape of Shinto" Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 451 (2018) pp 160 (on commercialization) 162 (ofuda and omikuji) and 167 (goshuin) and commercialized for marketing to touristsYamanaka Hiroshi 山中 弘 "Religious Change in Modern Japanese Society Established Religions and Spirituality" Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 482 (2021) pp 365-382 especially pp 368 372 (on goshuin) 374 (on gomagi and the importation of Western vocabulary such as "spiritual supplements") Ema for instance began as large-scale pictorial representations that historically were created by professional artists Small versions began to be produced and sold and a complex symbology developed for the messages Modern versions sold at shrines often already stamped with their local affiliation tend to be used more verbally with space left for individuals to act as their own scribes in messaging the kamiIan Reader "Letters to the Gods The Form and Meaning of Ema" Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 181 (1991) pp 30–37