LOS ANGELES, CA — The Japan Foundation Los Angeles presents a special New Year workshop, “Celebrate the New Year – Write Your Wish on an Ema!” on Saturday, January 17, 2026, from 11:00am to 12:30pm at its location on 5700 Wilshire Blvd, Suite100, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Admission is free, but registration is required.
This unique event introduces participants to Japanese temple traditions and the cultural significance of ema—wooden plaques used to write wishes. The workshop will feature a talk by Rev. Yuryu Mori of Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin in Little Tokyo, who will share insights into New Year customs such as hatsumode, the origins and purpose of ema, and the meaning of the zodiac, with 2026 marking the Year of the Horse. Attendees will also learn about other traditional good-luck items, including omikuji, omamori, and hamaya.
Following the talk, guests will have the opportunity to write their wishes on ema plaques featuring designs of zodiac animals or the Seven Gods of Fortune. Plaques are available for $10 or $5 (limited quantities; cash or check only), and participants may take their ema home. Before departing, everyone is invited to draw a New Year’s omikuji as a small gift from the temple—a fun and meaningful way to welcome 2026.
About the Lecturer: Rev. Yuryu Mori
Born in 2000 at Tamon-in, a sub-temple of Kumeda-dera in Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture, Rev. Mori was ordained in 2013. He completed his monastic training at Koyasan Senshu Gakuin in 2022 and received his official priest certification the same year. In 2024, he graduated from the College of Letters at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto and was appointed to Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin (Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles) shortly thereafter.
For more information and to register, visit https://www.jflalc.org/event-details.php/321/celebrate-the-new-year-write-your-wish-on-an-ema-.
