The temple asks for tickets to ‘idol swing’ in Japan

Located among high-rise buildings in Nihonbashi district (Tokyo), Fukutoku Temple appears as a peaceful space with a bright red torii gate. Although Tokyo has hundreds of Shinto temples, Fukutoku attracts many tourists for the special reason of praying for good luck for concert tickets.

The temple was built in the 9th century and worships Inari, the god of prosperity and harvest. The history of this place is closely linked to the turning point in 1590, when the famous boxer Tokugawa Ieyasu visited and became a patron.

Beth Carter, assistant professor of Japanese studies at Case Western Reserve University (Ohio), said that thanks to the favor of boxer Ieyasu, Fukutoku enjoyed rare privileges, including organizing raffles to raise funds for renovations. The temple’s reputation for good luck began to spread from there. People not only come to pray for crops but also pray for winning lottery tickets.

By the 1990s, Japanese idol culture exploded strongly with bands like Glay or Morning Musume. The oshi (idol you support) culture became strong. Fans are willing to buy all kinds of accessories to support them, but the one thing they may not be able to buy is a ticket to the show.

In Japan, owning tickets to major concerts often depends on an online lottery system. This system is designed to ensure fairness, but many fans still seek spiritual support. They believe that if Fukutoku brings luck to traditional lottery tickets, the gods will also help them win the music ticket lottery.

“Scheming depends on people, success depends on nature. Japanese people will do anything to increase their chances even by 1%. Going to the temple to pray is still better than doing nothing!”, Cyber ​​Bunny, a tour guide in Tokyo, shared.

The attraction of the temple became even stronger after the pandemic. Ulli Nambo, a tour guide with Arigato Travel, remembers when restrictions were lifted and touring artists returned. When he arrived at the temple, he couldn’t even see the prayer area because it was too crowded. The police had to block off the entire street because the number of people flocking to Fukutoku was too large.

Here, believers perform traditional purification rituals before heading to the main altar. After clapping twice to summon the gods and offering silent prayers, many people choose to buy ema wooden cards, priced from 500 to 1,000 yen (85,000-170,000 VND) to record specific wishes.

On the massive wooden card racks, one can easily see a series of pleas related to famous music groups from ZeroBaseOne to BTS. All hope to win in the lottery in a few weeks to have the opportunity to meet their idol in person.

Although praying for a concert ticket seems materialistic, Japanese scholars have a different view. Professor Beth Carter commented that this should not be seen as a pragmatic exchange.

“When you get what you desire, you gain peace of mind, which leads to a deeper spiritual experience,” he said.

Monk Taishi Kato, 22nd generation at Hattori Tenjingu temple (Osaka), also agrees that if proper respect is shown, the gods are always open to all prayers that bring joy to people.

Reality has proven the power of this belief through the story of reporter Krista Rogers. She once failed when participating in the ticket lottery of female singer Ayumi Hamasaki. On the next tour, Rogers decided to go to Fukutoku to pray before signing up. As a result, she was successful.

In the modern context, attending live shows is often likened to a religious experience. In Tokyo, that experience begins with reverence inside an ancient temple in the heart of the modern city.