The Fortune Game is an ancient Japanese fortune-telling ritual. Years ago, in Japan, it was extremely popular and was called “Tsuji-ura” or Crossroads Fortune-Telling. In Europe, it was called Crossroads Divination.
To play the fortune game, you need a comb and something to cover your face. It can be played alone or with friends.
Caution: We advise you not to play this game. Years ago, some Japanese people would commit suicide after playing Tsuji-ura because they did not like the prediction of the future that they were given.
Step 1: You take comb and go to a crossroads in the evening, after dark.
Step 2: Sound the comb three times by drawing your finger along the teeth of the comb. Chant the following three times: “Tsuji-ura, Tsuji-ura, grant me a true response.”
Step 3: You wait for a stranger to pass by. It must be a stranger, it cannot be someone that you know. When you see the stranger approaching, cover your face with something. A book, a newspaper or a bag will do. If there are other people with ou, they must cover their faces too.
Step 4: Ask the stranger to tell you your fortune. If the stranger doesn’t answer or refuses to tell you, then you have to wait for another stranger to pass by.
In Europe, they believed that the ghosts of the dead walked along roads at night. They also believed that the devil could be found at the crossroads at night disguised in human form. So when they played Crossroads Divination, they were asking for their fortune to be told by a ghost or the devil.
You never know… that stranger who is telling your fortune could be a ghostly wanderer or even satan himself.
Interesting fact: The game of Tsuji-ura became so popular that the Japanese produced little crackers with fortunes inside, written on paper. These cakes were called “Tsuji-ura Senbai”, which means “Crossroads Fortune-Telling Crackers”. Years later, in America, after the war, Chinese restaurants adopted these Japanese crackers and named them Fortune Cookies. So when you eat a fortune cookie in a Chinese restaurant, it comes directly from this old Japanese fortune-telling ritual.
Note: Another reason why we recommend you don’t play this game is that standing at a crossroads, in the dark, talking to strangers is an excellent way to get mugged or kidnapped or both.
To play the fortune game, you need a comb and something to cover your face. It can be played alone or with friends.
Caution: We advise you not to play this game. Years ago, some Japanese people would commit suicide after playing Tsuji-ura because they did not like the prediction of the future that they were given.
Step 1: You take comb and go to a crossroads in the evening, after dark.
Step 2: Sound the comb three times by drawing your finger along the teeth of the comb. Chant the following three times: “Tsuji-ura, Tsuji-ura, grant me a true response.”
Step 3: You wait for a stranger to pass by. It must be a stranger, it cannot be someone that you know. When you see the stranger approaching, cover your face with something. A book, a newspaper or a bag will do. If there are other people with ou, they must cover their faces too.
Step 4: Ask the stranger to tell you your fortune. If the stranger doesn’t answer or refuses to tell you, then you have to wait for another stranger to pass by.
In Europe, they believed that the ghosts of the dead walked along roads at night. They also believed that the devil could be found at the crossroads at night disguised in human form. So when they played Crossroads Divination, they were asking for their fortune to be told by a ghost or the devil.
You never know… that stranger who is telling your fortune could be a ghostly wanderer or even satan himself.
Interesting fact: The game of Tsuji-ura became so popular that the Japanese produced little crackers with fortunes inside, written on paper. These cakes were called “Tsuji-ura Senbai”, which means “Crossroads Fortune-Telling Crackers”. Years later, in America, after the war, Chinese restaurants adopted these Japanese crackers and named them Fortune Cookies. So when you eat a fortune cookie in a Chinese restaurant, it comes directly from this old Japanese fortune-telling ritual.
Note: Another reason why we recommend you don’t play this game is that standing at a crossroads, in the dark, talking to strangers is an excellent way to get mugged or kidnapped or both.
