The amulet that Australia Open tennis champion Naomi Osaka brought to the tournament this month has become a hot topic. From its appearance, it is believed to be from Shirasaki Hachimangu shrine in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and the shrine has since been flooded with inquiries.
The amulet, attached to Osaka's racket bag, was seen on video as she entered the court. The front of the amulet is embroidered with a white tiger on a red background, and it also bears the sacred crest of the Shirasaki Hachimangu shrine, called "Maruni mitsuhikiryo mon (Circle with three stripes in it)."
On Monday, more than 1,000 orders of the amulet were logged via the internet, and the shrine has been hurriedly placing the unexpected volume of orders. Shrine priest Hiroshi Yamatsuka, 57, said: "I don't know how it got to Ms. Osaka, but I'm glad it became a much-talked-about subject. I want to continue to support her."
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