When you visit shrines and temples in Kyoto, one thing you may want to check is omikuji (fortune slips).
Each place has unique messages and designs, so it’s easy to want to draw one.

Animal-themed omikuji are especially popular.
Even old and famous shrines and temples in Kyoto often sell omikuji with a cute, relaxed style.
Some places with over 1,000 years of history may have them too. Here, we introduce Kyoto shrines and temples where you can find cute animal omikuji.

7 Cute Animal Omikuji Picks

①Okazaki Shrine (Sakyo Ward)

Cute “Rabbit” Omikuji

Okazaki Shrine, near Heian Jingu Shrine, is popular for its cute rabbit omikuji.
Okazaki Shrine is known for blessings for pregnancy and safe childbirth. People say rabbits, which have many babies, are messengers of the local deity.

The shrine grounds are full of rabbits.
You can see guardian rabbit statues, a rabbit statue that people rub on the belly for good luck, and a rabbit-shaped crest.
If you like rabbits, this place is a must.

It’s also great for photos, so try visiting on your next Kyoto trip.
It was very crowded in 2023 (the Year of the Rabbit).

Visitor Info

• Hours: Daytime
• Fee: Free entry
• Tel: 075-771-1963
• Address: 51 Okazaki Higashi Tennocho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
• Access:
  • Get off at “Okazaki Jinja-mae” (City Bus), walk right away
  • Get off at “Higashi Tennocho” (City Bus), 2-minute walk

②Uji Shrine (Uji City)

Cute “Rabbit” Omikuji

Uji Shrine in Uji City is also a shrine connected to rabbits.
A legend says that when the enshrined deity Uji no Wakiiratsuko got lost, a rabbit appeared and guided the way.

This rabbit is called “Mikaeri Usagi” (the “looking-back rabbit”). At Uji Shrine, it is seen as a divine messenger that leads people to the right path.

Because of this story, the rabbit omikuji here is made in a “looking back” pose.
The one rabbit you choose may lead you to good luck!

Uji Shrine is near the Uji River, in the center of Uji sightseeing.
Uji has old streets, a calm feeling, and is great for a slow walk—one of the most popular Kyoto areas to visit.

Visitor Info

• Hours: Daytime (anytime)
• Fee: Free entry
• Tel: 0774-21-3041
• Address: 1 Uji-Yamada, Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access:
  • 5-minute walk from Keihan “Uji” Station
  • 10-minute walk from JR “Uji” Station

③Shorinji Temple (Higashiyama Ward)

Cute “Frog” Omikuji

At Shorinji Temple, a sub-temple of Tofukuji, the omikuji animal motif is a frog.
Shorinji Temple is a hidden Kyoto spot known for its seasonal flower water basin display.

The frog omikuji with the colorful flowers looks amazing in photos.
For a Kyoto souvenir, why not pick the one frog that feels “right” and take it home?

Shorinji Temple is also famous for unique clear goshuin (a transparent stamp sheet) featuring the flower water basin design.
Sometimes the display even includes small figures of a popular character.
The grounds are small, but the atmosphere is special and there’s a lot to enjoy.

Visitor Info

• Hours: 10:00–16:00
• Fee:
  • Adults: 800 yen (includes temple treasure explanation)
  • Elementary / Junior High / High School: 500 yen (groups only, 8+ people)
• Tel: 075-561-4311
• Address: 15-795 Honmachi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
• Access:
  • 8-minute walk from JR/Keihan “Tofukuji” Station
  • 8-minute walk from City Bus “Tofukuji” Stop

④Oharano Shrine (Nishikyo Ward)

At Oharano Shrine, the animal omikuji is a deer.
It’s a cute wooden deer holding a scroll in its mouth, called “Shinka Mikuji.” When you open the scroll, you can read the fortune.

Oharano Shrine was founded with a divided spirit from Kasuga Taisha in Nara, and it is also known as “Kyoto Kasuga.”
So, like Kasuga Taisha, deer have been respected as messengers of the gods. Even the guardian statues here are deer.

Getting there by public transport can be a little difficult, but nearby you can also visit quiet temples such as Yoshimine Temple, Jurin Temple, and Sankoji Temple.
If you want a calmer Kyoto trip away from crowds, this area is a great choice.

Visitor Info

• Hours: Daytime (anytime)
• Shrine Office: 9:00–17:00
• Fee: Free entry
• Tel: 075-331-0014
• Address: 1152 Oharano Minami-Kasugacho, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto
• Access:
  • From JR “Mukomachi” or Hankyu “Higashi-Muko,” transfer to a Hankyu bus
  • 8-minute walk from Hankyu Bus “Minami Kasugacho” Stop

⑤Kamigamo Shrine (Kita Ward)

Cute “Crow” Omikuji

At Kamigamo Shrine, you can get an omikuji based on Yatagarasu.
Yatagarasu is a three-legged crow from Japanese mythology.

A legend says that Kamo Taketsunumi-no-Mikoto, the ancestral deity of the Kamo clan (linked to the shrine’s origin), guided Emperor Jimmu in the form of Yatagarasu. This story is the origin of the omikuji motif.

The “Yatagarasu Omikuji” has the shrine crest futaba-aoi on its belly, which is its special mark.
It also has a sharp, reliable face—cute in its own way.
If you keep it close, it may guide you to good luck.

When you visit Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto, try choosing “your” one special crow to take home!

Visitor Info

• Hours: Romon Gate / Amulet Office 8:00–16:45
• Fee: Free entry
• Tel: 075-781-0011
• Address: 339 Kamigamo Motoyama, Kita-ku, Kyoto
• Access:
  • Right away from City Bus “Kamigamo Jinja-mae (Misonoguchi-cho)”
  • 3-minute walk from City Bus “Kamigamo Misonobashi”

⑥Rokkakudo Temple (Nakagyo Ward)

Cute “Pigeon” Omikuji

A familiar animal at Rokkakudo Temple is the pigeon.
In the temple grounds in central Kyoto, many pigeons walk around.
Rokkakudo Temple also sells pigeon-themed souvenirs.

The omikuji here is also pigeon-shaped.
It has a round, cute form, with the scroll designed like a perch.
It comes in a clear case, so it’s great as a Kyoto souvenir.
The pigeon you pick may bring you good luck!

Rokkakudo Temple is very close to Karasuma Oike Station, Shijo Station, and Hankyu Karasuma Station.
It’s easy to stop by during sightseeing—so visit when you’re shopping or having lunch nearby.

Visitor Info

• Hours: 6:00–17:00
• Fee: Free entry
• Tel: 075-221-2686
• Address: 248 Donomae-cho, Rokkaku-dori, Higashinotoin Nishi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
• Access:
  • 3-minute walk from Subway “Karasuma Oike”
  • 5-minute walk from Subway “Shijo” / Hankyu “Karasuma”

⑦Zenkyo-an Temple (Higashiyama Ward)

Cute “Wild Boar” Omikuji

At Zenkyo-an Temple, a sub-temple of Kenninji in the Gion area, you can get a wild boar omikuji.
This comes from the Buddhist figure enshrined there.

Marishiten is enshrined at Zenkyō-an Temple, and is often shown sitting on seven wild boars.
Marishiten is also loved as a guardian deity for people born in the Year of the Boar.
So you can see many wild boar designs in the grounds—guardian boar statues, charms, ema (wooden plaques), and more.

The area around Zenkyō-an Temple is Gion, with old-style Kyoto streets like Hanamikoji and Miyagawa-cho.
Gion is very popular, but Zenkyō-an Temple is a quieter hidden spot.
If you want to visit slowly and calmly, it’s a great choice.

Visitor Info

• Hours: 9:00–17:00
• Fee: Free entry
• Tel: 075-561-5556
• Address: 146 Komatsu-cho, 4-chome, Yamato-Oji-dori Shijo-sagaru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
• Access:
  • 7-minute walk from Keihan “Gion-Shijo” Station
  • 10-minute walk from Hankyu “Kyoto-Kawaramachi” Station

Conclusion

In Kyoto, you can find many different animal omikuji.
These little animals holding fortune slips are so cute—you may want to collect them.

If any place caught your interest, try visiting it on your next Kyoto trip!

There are also many other shrines and temples with omikuji we couldn’t cover here, like dogs, monkeys, snakes, and dragons.
So while walking around Kyoto, enjoy looking for cute omikuji like a fun treasure hunt!

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