Fortune Telling in Japan
Some of these are experts in fortune telling by reading your palm, some can see the spirits floating about you and some are more of the standard fortune-by-birthdate/time variety. The average cost per fortune is about 1,000 yen to 2,500 yen.
Met up with a comrade yesterday who casually asked a fortune teller to read his fortune. The fortune teller spoke of a conversation held with my comrade and another person - a conversation that only my comrade had knowledge of - and obviously the other person but she died a while ago.
My comrade's skepticism disappeared and he listened on to be told something about his future that he realized is beginning to come true.
As I was listening I thought that it would be interesting to have my fortune told but after thinking about it for 10 seconds, I thought that I'd rather continue living without being given any hints.
I throughly believe that having a destination in life and being focused and passionate in getting to that destination will bring about a fulfilling future - thus not having to worry about knowing about what the future has in store for me.
For those who have "Mondays" down as the day you hate most and the reason as being "because I have to go to school/work after the weekend", then give the Destination article a read as it may help make not just Monday, but everyday a day to look forward to.
If you had the chance to have a fortune teller tell you your future and you was guaranteed that the information was going to be accurate, would you go ahead?
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Student
i'd give it a go, just to see, but i dont usually believe in fortune telling
Hikikomori in the making
http://supermariabros.deviantart.com/
Wow Danny, that was deep... *Sheds tear*
Anyway, I wouldn't want my fortune to be read, coz' you're the only one who can change your own destiny! Mold it using your own hands and imagine a future which you made yourself!
Woah... I need a break, too much anime watching...
Spiral Warrior
http://www.perfectdesignsense.com/martinwandering
天機不可泄漏，最好認命。
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
http://xspblog.com
I'm completely skeptic on this subject... mainly because I have a strong belief that the future is yet to be done.
But let's say I believed in fortune telling... I wouldn't want to know about it. Well, in fact I wouldn't want to know about it if I couldn't change it.
Because I don't think the feeling of not having your life under (your own) control would be very nice.
It could just kill my hopes.
Imagine you going to a fortune teller and he says:
"You are not going to realize your dreams, you'll get a serious injury or disease and fight it for several years dying in pain, you'll die alone and your family will abandon you" etc etc.
And if I'm not negative, things wouldn't be a lot better. Why? Because the good stuff that will happen to you will mean less/ not be that nice because you just ruined the surprize.
And IMHO, life would be too boring without surprizes... good or bad.
Listen to: Radiohead - No Surprizes.
Stealthy Ninja, Life support.
was told this sentance by a person i respect and has held onto it since then.
"You make your own future"
hell, why let someone decide your future, cause what they say may not exactly be accurate and if u think about it u might make it come true.
if they were talking about my past, thats a little diffrent, it's already happened lol and i got no words of wisdom for that ha.
Polytechnic Junior, Bronze Lifesaving Trainee, Mech Designer In-training.
http://thehangerbay.wordpress.com/
I'd still go for fortune telling. True or not, I don't really care; I make my future. Besides, knowing about the impending events will really help in making countermeasures XD
Engineer / IT Student
http://elozt.wordpress.com/
Its not that I'm particular about my future, but I do believe the future holds an endless amound of possibilities.
Maybe its me, but fortune telling is just one way of simply telling us about what may or may not happen in the future. But it does serves the purpose of an early warning system tho.
Student
http://chewyanime.wordpress.com
I wouldn't have my fortune told; the future is ours to make. I think, that if my future was decided, it would be a sad thing, for I would be unable to make any decisions on my own, as those decisions have already been made.
Student
http://www.furuanimepanikku.com
If such things such as fortune telling are really true, they why won't the fortune teller predict stuff like stocks and the lottery. That way, he doesn't need to be a poor roadside fortune teller anymore.
http://www.marvinryan.com
I had a chance to talk to a fortune teller during my visit to Ishikawa, cost about 2500 yen as well. the hardest part was communicating between his engrish and my extremely limited Nihongo vocabulary. ^^;
but suprisingly enough, now that I think about what he said, I realize its stating to come true to me as well.
Web Developer/ウェブデベロッパー, Photographer/写真や
http://www.moeside.net/weblog
Maybe if it's a cutesy girl telling fortunes, things might be a little different ^^;
Anyway, I think fortune telling should be taken with a pinch of salt. Still believe that because it's your own world, you should change it by yourself 「自分の世界は,自分で変えなければ」 instead of whining how life sucks or giving up halfway and then remark how successful people get lucky and stuff.
Danny is a nice example of a person who's focused on getting to his destination despite meeting some setbacks :)
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
http://puppy52art.com/
I'd rather my fortune not be known to me. I think sometimes psychologically we get "bound" to a "fortune" told to us unconsciously ^^; Isn't not knowing more exciting? :P Tho it would be nice to know how/when to advert disaster tho ^^;
student
http://jk-pictureaweek.blogspot.com/
ah ... i don believe in this tellers.
Student
http://bakaaaa.wordpress.com
well, im kinda like a happy go lucky person. XD
Software Engineer
http://thebiggestadventure.com
Honestly, at the moment, I feel like I'm not in the right job. The profession is ok (IT) but being in my current company just doesn't seem right. I have a year more to go before I can resign though... *sigh*
What would you suggest regarding this matter?
student
http://billybobs.deviantart.com/
psh, fortune telling is all fake, bounch of ppl who works for evil spirits... even if the teller is 100% sure of ur future, i wouldn't go near them
Afro-ed Student
http://Mizunaga.blogspot.com/
I would most certainly like to know what's in store for me- however, if I hear something like, "you'll be a multi-millionaire in a few years" or something, I might stop working hard to get what I want and just wait for that fortune to come.
And of course, we all know not working hard=not good.
I have a lot more to say, but I guess I shouldn't ramble. ^^;
anime/cosplay events organizer
http://www.cosplay.ph
i might have my fortune told but for the fun of it but i won't take it seriously.
fortunes are there to act as a guide and you mustn't have it take control of your life.
you make your own fortune ^__________^
Online Shop
http://wildarms.egloos.com
I often wonder whether your life is either destined or you make your own destiny type. If it was destined, then I can be as lazy as I want and would not have a care in the world. But if it's latter, I'm in big trouble now...
Servicing National Services
http://www.funanimestuff.com
What I think is that if we happen to ask ten different fortune tellers the same thing, it will be most likely that 80% of them will tell you different prediction.^^
Gunpla Enthusiast
i don't believe in fortunes which basically dictate that your destiny or future has already been picked out for you. i think you get out of life what you put in, so if you're a hard worker, you'll be successful and vice versa. that said, i have had my fortune told by palm reading, whether it is true or not have yet to be determined. most fortune tellers will just butter you up with words of praise anyway.
Student
http://animestuff.wordpress.com/
Fortune telling is something that only has a small change of occurring because the future is always in motion, you make what you want of your future.
Web Developer (i.e. Otaku)
http://www.brettb.com/TravelLog.Tokyo.asp
"You will die a horrible death in a rebel attack on the deathstar"
I don't think you want to hear that, Danny.
McMaster Mechanical Engineering & Management II
http://www.virtualinfusion.net/
If you live in Europe, you get told fortunes more often then not by Gypsies , and if you know anything about Gypsies, you'll definitely know that they are pretty much robbers. I recall my friend then recently went on a trip through Barcelona, and he practically tied himself to his positions after all the thieving he saw in some of the crowded places.
So in short, no. Never want to get my fortune done, plus, it's all based on hoaxs undoubtedly.
銀河帝国五〇一軍团 TK/TD 8316 M.E.P.D. Police Sergeant
http://gordonator.com/
i never believe in fortune telling.
if i'm the fortune teller, i'll just say good things about your future cos come on lets face it, nobody wants to hear about bad fortune. ('~')
I don't believe infortune telling, but I believe that improbable things can happen. I also believe in the human ability to draw links between anything.
But if it was 100% certain, I would like to know so that I can challenge fate! There will always be some room for your own decisions and you can influence things surrounding the fortune if not the fortune itself.
I think the best fortune teller is the doctor, or the weather person.
IT TechGuy
http://starboykb.blogspot.com
I ever had a fortune told about six years ago if I could pass my exam. ^^; Hahaha...until now i never had once. I always think I should create my own way of future without relaying on this believing lol.
University Student.
http://www.hirito.blogspot.com/
Truthfully, I don't really believe in fortune telling. Most fortune teller would usually be using a technique called Cold Reading (Wiki it). What I believe is that the future is always changing, and it is within one's ability to grasp it that makes your own future.
It's better to have a goal in life, as it allows you to just focus and work towards that goal. And if you're psychotic enough, even if it meant the destruction of the world, you would still want to achieve it. Living a life without a goal, you're just going no-where.
Japanese Student
http://japanqna.wordpress.com
Maybe for fun I'd go, but with most of these fortunes, horoscopes and stuff, I just think: if it's good, I'll believe it, and if it isn't then the fortune teller was a fake or something... hehehehehe...
Student
I know most, if not all, of them are fake. I rather treat them as motivator and reminder than clairvoyant.
Non-profit org. volunteering work addict
Hmmmmm... That's an interesting question there. Knowing about your own future would help you realize what you'd missed or avoid what can be negative...
...Unless it's all part of what people call "realized prophecy". You know, like trying to prevent Terminators from being present. Just ask John Connor for more details.
Yeah, going for fortune-telling if it was 100% accurate and cheap (dream on), surely on the motive that it would be fun.
If they don't practice the evil eye on you or charm you so you end giving them all your money after, that is. (You never know about people multiple talents). ^^
Non-profit org. volunteering work addict
*people's
Well, I agree with gordon, in that fortune-tellers won't spoil you the bad part, otherwise it could ruin their business. As long as they got their money, they don't care about what can happen to you or at what extent you could change it.
Wonder who would prefer look for necromancers and other kind of stuff in the same genre. ^^
dannychoo.com の読者
i dont like to think that my life has already been pre-destinied. I like to think that my future is a consequence of my actions.
so i wouldnt get my fortune told, just like what franky said - I did it my way
Student
i don't really believe in th stuff, so why waste money one it.
PM
http://thepoopsies.blogspot.com
It's not whether I believe in it or not, but I'd rather keep my future a surprise. I mean, if I am told about what my life would be like, it just takes out the excitement - and I'm guessing it would make me more cautious in the likelihood that something bad's bound to happen.
Student (for-ev-er)
I agree with you, Danny. I wouldn't want to know how my life would end either; surprises are better! I might have my fortune read for fun. Kinda like the ouiji board game.
-1
http://necrophadian.blogspot.com/
I had my fortune told as part of an college class project. The soothsayer examined my hands and eyes, pretended to sense my aura and told me how I would die of leukemia real soon and that to combat it I would have to eat a lot of beans. I tried my best not to laugh out loud since the whole thin was being documented.
Creative Director
Are you sure he's not a drug dealer?
:)
Student
I would do it if I were EXTREMLY bored.
.NET/Web Developer
http://scrumptious.animeblogger.net
Wouldn't it be more fun and exciting if you didn't know? Which is why I wouldn't try it. ^^ I'd like to not know about my future and see where it takes me.
Ork Warlord
I really don`t belive much in this kind of things, but my mother is a true witch(on the good way, I mean), and she belive very hard on this stuffs. She reads me the fortune one time, and belive or not, she tell me things that happens me later!! So I still not very sure about these matters...
Computer Engineer
Definitely prefer not to know my future. And I am very skeptical about fortune tellers, specially ones that charge 1000yen+ (but i dunno, maybe thats the going rate these days), if they can predict the future, why cant they tell me next weeks lottery numbers. I think its more a case of the person they're reading giving them answers to work with without knowing, than the fortune teller actually predicting the future.
Find out your destiny, and ... change it. See who's tougher!
ひきこもり/Hikikomori. Suits my current state more than a 大学生/University Student. ^^
Fortune tellers are interesting aren't they? It's as if something is different with their genetic mark-up thus giving them the special ability to delve the future and the past.
If only scientists would put some serious research on the foundation of the power of fortune tellers.. maybe we'll then learn the secret behind their power - or are scientists too arrogant hence they simply dismiss fortune telling as bluffing?
serving nation Orz
i think it will depend on the fortune teller's abilities. if he is as good as isaac(heroes TV) then i would rather not know like what danny says. its scary when you know you cant change your future =X
It's interesting how many people are skeptic about this ... until they try it and then are surprised that they have been told something that only they could know!
I for my part believe that there are more things between heaven and earth than we are able to see.
volunteer art centre
http://deathvalley69.biz
Lots of people seem to be really serious about this kind of thing, surprisingly.
Personally I think this kind of thing should only be done for entertainment, and if it turns it to be true, it really doesn't matter right?
Student
http://www.fotografer.net/isi/anggota/profil.php?id=98782
Do u all know about 'the law of atraction' like the one episodeof oprah's show? she mention about a book call 'the secret', well, there's some other name of 'the law of atravtion', that's called 'affirmation', or so I say, be carefull what u wish for!, if you really believe of something,rather that's good or not, it'll will happened to you!
example : A man really believe in fortune teller, really believe what the fortune teller said to him, that'll will happened, not because of what the fortune teller said to him was true, but because that man/woman attract those new feeling+mind he gets to himself!
maybe like this, that man has been told that he'll get a bad luck in the next 3 days, he believes it, so he just things about anything he encountered in that 3 day on a bad way and stress,yup! that attitude makes his life really worse! 'in the next 3 days'. more unlucky, day by day, because he attract bad habit from people just the same like the feeling he had.
Did u want 2 have a nice chat with 'an ugly face+bad habbit' of someone u know? i guess u not~
and why do these teller always have 'customer,eventhough mostly of them tell's bad luck ? because many people usually entertained with bad news, just think why that almost all newspaper headlines are having bad news like crime or anything? because they know that mostly people have a lot more interest in that then a good news
medicine student & otaku
well i remember back in Peru when i was 14 years old (my dad was in the USA)i came up to this fortune teller lady and i asked her about my dad, i asked her how he was doing and she told me that he was cheating on my mom & i was so started to laugh cuz i knew it wasn't true but then for my surprise when i came back after a month me & my mom found outr that he was cheating on my mom after all. anyway my parents are still trying to work it out and YES i'd ask a fortune teller about something/someone or my future
Watcher
Fortune telling is nothing but cold reading. They meet enough people everyday to know certain types of people just by their body language, clothes, and general behavior. They can make a very good guess and even if they get it wrong, they can spin it so that people agree. From there, the fortune reading stuff is all rubbish. The biggest trick is making someone believe in you, which they are skillful at doing. Japanese people are very superstitious so it works the best on them.