One of the most famous items offered at Samuhara Shrine is the ring-shaped “Goshinkan Mamori.” Before the pandemic, you had to try your luck at the shrine office and could only get one if it was in stock, so they often ran out quickly. After the pandemic, they switched to an application system, with an offering of at least JPY 10,000, and a domestic Japanese address is required. Since they are made to order, there is also a wait before completion. Even so, they remain extremely popular, so as of August 2026, new production applications are temporarily suspended.
I had visited Samuhara Shrine before the pandemic, and the amulet I received then was also the one I kept with me the longest. During the pandemic, many people around me tested positive one after another. I even worked closely with someone who tested positive for two or three days, and everyone took turns taking long periods off, but I stayed safe the whole time. There was a period when I was coughing badly, but all my rapid tests were negative. There were also several moments when it looked like a serious traffic accident was about to happen, but I somehow managed to avoid them each time. I never knew my reaction speed could rival an athlete’s. Looking back now, it still feels incredible.
Of course, these things may not really have been directly related to divine protection, and there may have been some psychological effect, but for me, they definitely left me with the feeling that I had somehow been protected all along.
So when I came to Osaka again after the pandemic, I made a special trip back to give thanks, return the old amulet that had been with me for years, and receive a new one, hoping to continue living safely and smoothly, free from illness and misfortune.
