Omamori (御守/お守り) are Japanese amulets commonly sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, dedicated to particular Shinto kami as well as Buddhist figures, and are said to provide various forms of luck and protection. This amulet comes from Dazaifu Tenman-gū. Dazaifu Tenman-gū welcomes all students to pray for Sugawara Michizane, the god of learning during the month of October (the beginning of the second semester of the Japanese academic year). During this special prayer period, visitors can receive blessings for their studies in the form of a special amulet, a return board, and a ceremony. On 18 October, a special ceremony is held at the Gohonten (main hall) to pray for the success of all those who visit the shrine during the month's prayers. The reason why the ceremony is held on 18 October is to commemorate the day when Sugawara took and passed one of the most challenging exams of the era.