One of the increasingly popular joys of traveling in Hokkaido is the local fortune slip, the "Ezo Mikuji." These unique fortunes, themed around local specialties like fishing for saury, digging for potatoes, or scooping up crabs, are a big hit. This article will introduce the charm of Ezo Mikuji, focusing on five particularly unique ones from the total of 15 types available.

"Ezo Mikuji" are papier-mâché charms themed after regional specialties and famous products, considered local "treasures." Inside each charm is a fortune slip written in the Hokkaido dialect. They are distributed at 15 shrines across Hokkaido, and each shrine has its own creative way of letting you draw your fortune! Some even have photo spots perfect for social media, making them fun to visit and collect.

At Kotohira Shrine in Nemuro City, you'll find the "Fukuzanmai Mikuji" (offering fee: 500 yen), themed after the Pacific saury, for which Nemuro boasts the largest catch in Japan. The fortunes are placed in a styrofoam box, and you use a fishing rod to catch one. There's even a charcoal grill set and a meal set for photos, so why not stage a shot of a grilled saury set meal?

Try to fish for the perfect saury!

The mini bamboo fishing rods are handmade by the shrine staff.

Grill your caught saury fortune over charcoal!?

The photo prop set is elaborate, with rice, miso soup, and side dishes!

Kotohira Shrine

■Location: 1-4 Kotohira-cho, Nemuro City

Urahoro Shrine in Urahoro, Tokachi, offers the adorable, round potato-shaped "Yarunara Imojaga Mikuji" (Now's the Time Potato Fortune; offering fee: 500 yen). There are two ways to draw your fortune. One is to dig it up from a "field" with a mini shovel. The other is to pick one from a steamer basket with tongs. There are photo spots available, so be sure to have fun with it.

The fortunes are buried in a "field" made of wood pellets.

Pick a fortune with tongs from a steamer basket, designed to look like steamed potatoes.

There's also a sizzling plate set, just like at a family restaurant.

The shrine also enshrines "Chichi-gami-sama," a deity of breasts, which is rare in Japan.

Urahoro Shrine

■Location: 18-1 Higashiyama-cho, Urahoro Town

Located at the northernmost tip of Japan, Hokumon Shrine offers the "Ikani mo Ii Mikuji" (A Very Crab-tivating Fortune; offering fee: 500 yen), themed after the horsehair crab. A key feature is that you can only get it at the shrine office, where you scoop it up with a net. The shrine also has other unique charms and amulets, such as the "Shima-rider Fuda," available at seven shrines in Hokkaido, and the "Child-granting Amulet," which depicts guardian dogs with their pups, as the shrine is also known for blessing visitors with children.

Be sure to visit the shrine office to draw your fortune!

Skillfully scoop it up with a net and feel like a crab fisherman!

The "Shima-rider Fuda" is a traffic safety sticker featuring the Shima Enaga (long-tailed tit) bird.

Hokumon Shrine

■Location: 1-1-21 Chuo, Wakkanai City

The specialties of Iwanai Town are walleye pollack and its roe, tarako. Iwanai Shrine's Ezo Mikuji, the "Tarafuku Mikuji" (Bellyful of Luck Cod Fortune; offering fee: 500 yen), is an elaborate creation where a fortune slip resembling tarako peeks out from the belly of a walleye pollack. This is said to embody a prayer for a "belly full of happiness." Draw one and pray for a big catch of good luck!

Iwanai Shrine

■Location: 41 Miyazono, Iwanai Town

Biei Town is known for its fertile land where crops thrive. In summer, its beautiful flower gardens and field landscapes are a popular sight. Biei Shrine, worshipped as the town's guardian, offers the "Tomorokoshi Mikuji" (Wealth Comes Calling Corn Fortune; offering fee: 500 yen), themed after corn. The fortunes are presented as "grilled corn" on a grill stand. Grab one with tongs for the full experience!

Biei Shrine

■Location: 4-1-1 Higashi-machi, Biei Town

The charm of "Ezo Mikuji," themed after Hokkaido's specialties, is that you can enjoy them like an attraction, by fishing or digging. These social-media-worthy papier-mâché charms are also perfect mementos of your trip. Why not enjoy a stamp-rally-like journey visiting all 15 shrines while taking photos with your fortunes?