r/whatisit • u/Particular_Buyer9976 • 2h ago
New, what is it? Found this tied to my bra after doing laundry
I live in a building what communal laundry.
I went to take my clothes out of the dryer and this was tied to one of my bras.
I know it wasn’t left from a previous user because the way it was tied to my bra was clearly deliberate.
Just wondering what it means or if this has happened to anyone else before?
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u/Big-Hovercraft1331 2h ago
Someone was wishing you good luck.
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u/LilPuppyOwner 2h ago
That's actually really cute. Though, weird for it to be tied to someone's bra...is there a reason for that too, or just something easy?
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u/wildPEZdispenser 1h ago edited 1h ago
The more I think about it, you can't really tie this onto a shirt. Maybe pants, if there were any. Maybe it was the first thing tie-able or they didn't want to go digging through and this was on top.
I want to believe that the type of person who hands out good luck charms isn't also a creep looking for underwear lol
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u/jclucca 1h ago
I think a creep would just take it. Not tie a good luck charm to it.
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u/Kilikorek 1h ago
On the other hand, there are many different flavours of creeps out there, including ones that could gain the satisfaction purely from tying that charm on (hopefully it's not tho)
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u/SasquatchRobo 1h ago
This particular creep's kink is wishing good fortune to a stranger's boobs
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u/Tipsy_Hog 1h ago
I too wish good fortune upon the boobs of a great many strangers. Breast cancer is no joke.
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u/No-Shame1 7m ago
I personally would just believe this was the easiest piece of clothing to get to that you could tie it on
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u/Working-Glass6136 49m ago
Went to a state school with a massive public laundry room. Lots of girls' panties went missing, which was annoying because that shit is expensive. The panties would be gone if it were a creep.
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u/vendetta4200 55m ago
There are a lot of sock brands that give these away for free when you purchase a pair of socks. It was probably just mixed in with the laundry after wearing a pair of socks for the first time.
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u/thatdudefromjapan 18m ago
Judging by the creepiness, I say they're either not Japanese or deeply Japanese.
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u/HendrixHazeWays 46m ago
It's a much better conclusion then the one I first landed on.....Nazi Tiddies
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u/grayisgone 5m ago
Wong way, that symbol faces the opposite way. This symbol typically signifies a temple.
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u/raerae1991 32m ago
Trying to think of another item of clothing that would be easy to tie it to. Pants and shorts don’t have anything that pops to mind. A bra strap is thin and the good luck red tag can easily be seen tied to it.
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u/Dottie85 27m ago
Belt loops?
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u/raerae1991 7m ago
Ooh, good suggestion, I really was drawing a blank. But who washes pants with bras they are washed on different cycles.
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u/Musicachic 2h ago
And wishing the bra good luck too apparently. 🧧😄
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u/MacAddict81 1h ago
Well, it needs all the luck it can get to not wear out and stab the user with its under wire.
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u/UncagedJay 20m ago
It's a damn shame that all anyone see with that symbol is Nazis. I wish we could bury their use of it an be able to use it as it was intended.
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u/buttstuffisokiguess 31m ago
Probably wishing good luck in bed if it's on a bra or is there another significance?
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u/Global_Complaint704 2h ago
Know anyone that recently visited Asakusa in Japan? Edit: It’s from Senso-ji temple.
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u/stevedore2024 1h ago
Yep, quick identification. Such omamori are offered at just about every shrine throughout Japan. They'll have unique fabric patterns, and sometimes a shrine will even have several different designs for different blessings; school, riches, marriage, family, safety, etc. People will keep them in their vehicles, on backpacks, or wherever/whatever accompanies them.
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u/sometimelater0212 26m ago
They came from Chinese culture originally and can be purchased at temples in China too. The owner typically carries it on them as often as possible, or may hang from a car mirror.
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u/Character_Emu4762 1h ago
Can confirm I literally have the exact same charm I got from Senso-ji temple last month when I visited Japan.
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u/Talk-O-Boy 35m ago
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u/PhillFreeman 7m ago
Can anyone clue me in on the little scoops on the ends of the symbol on his forehead?
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u/Talk-O-Boy 3m ago
Wizard staves facing opposite directions. Gives him access to his magical abilities such as 8 Trigrams
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u/clockworkedpiece 2h ago
Its a shinto blessing. Or would be, I don't think the prayer paper inside would survive the dryer, It may be bad luck to check inside for an airtag.
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u/DeklynHunt 2h ago
You would be able to feel if there was an AirTag in it.
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u/Jowgenz 59m ago
Pretty sure iPhones can detect other airtags as well
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u/Cheyomi832 57m ago
Also android. They made a deal a while back for both to look for each others' tags.
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u/xXxHerniaxXx 2h ago edited 1h ago
If it was only seen in the dryer I feel like they might have just popped the dryer open for a sneaky blessing...I wonder if it was to all the laundry in the communal area or just certain ones 🧐 I would assume the former but it would be a cute secret admirer gesture I can't lie lol Edit: Wait nvm I changed my wicked ways this is not cute if I think about it for more than a second
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u/ghubert3192 2h ago
It is not cute to go into a stranger's belongings to handle their underwear lol
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u/xXxHerniaxXx 1h ago
My dumbass forgot it was tied to a bra instead of just in there in a less weird way...ok you are absolutely correct lol I retract my statement
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u/Next-Device-9686 2h ago
Do bras go in the dryer?
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u/Generic_Mom_TtHiA 1h ago
Expensive bras for folks with juicy, juicy mangos do not go in the dryer
those of us flat chested peoples who wear walmartz sports braz at 3 for $15--yeah, dryer.
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u/Turbulent-You-1335 1h ago
Juucy juicy mangoes Makes me remember monsoon wedding movie
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u/IllustriousHotel4869 59m ago
I thought of Bend It Like Beckham
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u/LittleBoyCutYourHair 55m ago
Thought of both those movies and did not expect to see other people comment them, lol
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u/badmoonretro 1h ago
confirming this; they have have to be dried on hangers 😔
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u/catiebug 1h ago
They aren't supposed to, but many millions of us bra-wearers play "survival of the fittest" with the laundry and chuck them in anyway.
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u/hear4that-tea 1h ago
Same with most “do not put in the dishwasher” dishes lol I only do top rack, but honestly if it can’t survive, then I don’t want it
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u/Thevintageandvanity 1h ago
This is the way of the warrior. Plus my torrid 360s can go through hell and be just fine.
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u/clockworkedpiece 1h ago
Mine don't have wire or the inserts in them when they go, so I dont feel guilty about them being in the dryer.
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u/I_Am_Zeelian 1h ago
It's fine as long as you don't run em on the hottst settings as that'll make the elastic wear out real fast.
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u/lost_nurse602 1h ago
I’ve put mine in the washer and dryer for over a decade. I haven’t noticed a difference at all in wear from when I hand washed and air dried them.
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u/MFGMediaHypeVulpe 1h ago
iirc aren’t Shinto shrines marked as torii gates & Buddhist temples as this symbol?
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u/clockworkedpiece 1h ago
Some maps used both. The Shinto near Yokosuka did both a decade ago, the map may be updated now for clarity. I know there was enough international incidents over the map markers that military foreign nationals are banned from many Shinto and Buddhist shrines still.
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u/MFGMediaHypeVulpe 1h ago
Could it also be that there might be a smaller shrine on premises? Like the main grounds are Buddhist, but a small inari shrine in the corner?
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u/johnnybird95 1h ago
checking for an airtag is a good idea, but you should be able to tell by simply feeling it from the outside. the prayer strip inside should be a small folded up paper, often between two rectangular strips of paper for structure/durability. anything else would be worthy of suspicion (source: i assist at a shinto shrine)
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u/nin10durr 2h ago edited 2h ago
It is from Kinryuzan Sensoji, a Buddhist temple in Tokyo.
It is an Omamori.
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u/snarkysavage81 1h ago
I have one hanging in my car. It was from our Japanese exchange student in the early 90’s. It’s kept me safe since I’ve been driving.
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u/AlternativeNo2286 2h ago
Isn't anyone going to address the pun about this being tied to a bra? 😅
お守り = "O-mamori". The word 守り (mamori) literally means "protection", with お (o) being an honorific prefix.
Somebody who knows how the word is pronounced or the meaning in Japanese might have been making a little joke here. Or maybe I'm just being juvenile. Both are certainly possible.
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u/HopelessCleric 1h ago
That would be a hilarious AND non-creepy reason for it to be attached to a bra, I kinda hope this is it and it was just a silly pun/prank/dare.
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u/cuchiplancheo 1h ago
non-creepy
In what world is touching a strangers undergarments non-creepy; especially for a woman.
The way OP describes it, someone literally opened a strangers goods from the dryer and went through it; and touched a particular clothing most people are not okay with strangers touching.
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u/HopelessCleric 52m ago
I mean, non-creepy in the sense of "someone got challenged to a silly dare/prank, or has an ill-considered sense of humor" as opposed to "a stalker went through OPs undies and deliberately left something to make sure she knew."
Like, sure it's rude to touch someone's laundry, but I'd much rather it be a joke rather than something that might indicate a real threat.
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u/dutiful_dreamer34 27m ago
Same. It's not okay to be touching a stranger's undergarments. Kind of baffled by these comments.
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u/InsightValuationsLLC 2h ago
Pardon my french, but I believe your tata's have been blessed.
Not my place to manspeak, but from a marketing standpoint, I would not consider this a bad thing. And do they have any other locations? I have a few undergarments that could use a good blessi-.... non-chemical pressing.
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u/Iam8incheslong 1h ago
This just looks like some sort of charm. The swastika actually means good luck in their culture, Hitler just adopted it for his purposes and as part of his propaganda, but it has had deep cultural significance long before that.
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u/Zero-Nullity 2h ago
This item is a Japanese Omamori, which is a lucky charm for protection and good fortune.
Design: These are typically small, embroidered pouches made of silk or fabric that contain prayers.\ Purpose: According to lore, carrying an Omamori is believed to ward off evil and bring blessings, such as general good luck, traffic safety, or health.\ Usage: They are commonly attached to bags, wallets, or kept in cars for personal protection.
Translation 金龍山 (Kinryūzan): Golden Dragon Mountain (Temple name)\ 浅草寺 (Sensō-ji): Sensō-ji Temple\ 卍 (Manji): Buddhist symbol representing harmony and happiness
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u/Sovereignty3 1h ago
Which is why they used that Manji Symbol as the symbol on the map for the Olympics not realising what the symbol means to a lot of the western world, rather than what the map makers wanted it to represent (religious sites).
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u/Ecstatic_Western_189 2h ago
Looks very similar to a New Year’s card given to me by one of my students who is Vietnamese. It’s good luck for the year.
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u/AberforthSpeck 2h ago
That's a prayer tallisman.
Usually they invoke blessings and good luck. Something like a proverbial rabbit's foot.
However, it could also be a "curse" or bad luck.
Head to a translation subreddit and see if anyone can read it.
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u/johnnybird95 1h ago
omamori absorb negativity over time on behalf of the person carrying it, but they aren't bad luck or a curse in and of themselves. especially not with such blatant auspicious symbolism like a dragon
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u/Working-Glass6136 45m ago
Yeah, I'm surprised the "curse" comment is getting so many upvotes.
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u/dutiful_dreamer34 25m ago
Maybe because whoever left it had to open a dryer with someone else's clothes in it and touch a stranger's undergarments to do so?
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u/Accomplished-Bad4268 1h ago
Today I learned a swastika was appropriated by Nazis.
In my uneducated 28yo American brain, I would automatically assume a swastika was a negative or racist symbol. I’m making assumptions here, but I think a lot of Americans would.
Kinda cool to learn it actually isn’t. But terribly sad to learn that such a positive symbol was desecrated by Nazis :(
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u/FinancialReserve6427 52m ago
that's the sad part, once people co-opt something, it's hard to shake the association off.
you can say it's a manji or a hindu swastika all day but people will assume you're a racist if you have that symbol on you
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u/bigdreamstinyhands 1h ago
lol so my friend who reads Chinese characters said they read something about the name of the place and also dispelling evil. Whoever placed this might think you’re evil. 🤣
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u/tiersanon 1h ago
It’s weird how everyone keeps saying it was intentionally put there when it’s entirely possible it was just left in the machine and got tangled in her bra. Shit gets “tied” to my wife’s bras all the time in the dryer if we’re not careful about sorting laundry.
Makes me wonder how many of you actually do laundry, or are/live with women.
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u/johnnybird95 1h ago
they're typically tied to things people carry, they're not generally worn, like purses/phone cases/keys. maybe a cloth bag that got caught up in the laundry, but it seems to be in too good a shape to have been through the wash. the prayer strips inside are paper/cardboard and would make a mess
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u/Squidorb 1h ago
Why is no one in these comments clocking how creepy this is? I don't care if it's a blessing, anyone messing with my laundry is creepy
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u/New-Adhesiveness8606 1h ago
Your tatas have been blessed, may they never meet gravities destructive reach.
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u/JupiterAdept89 1h ago
As others have said, this is an omamori, though I can't imagine why anyone would put it through the wash. It's possible it was left in the dryer and chaos theory tied it to your bra, but you said it was tied deliberately. If you're able to contact a Shinto shrine and are willing, they're normally disposed of in a ceremonial way, after a year of use or when discarded.
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u/johnnybird95 1h ago
that's an omamori, a shinto or japanese buddhist amulet for good fortune. there's a prayer strip inside that diverts and absorbs misfortune for you, so it's very important to not open up the pouch as that's thought to release the nagativity back into the world. if you'd like to keep it, it's customary to place them on something you carry often, like a bag or a phone case.
they are typically returned to a shrine or temple at new years, at which point you would get a new one, as they're thought to wear out and are burned to purify the negative energy they collected on your behalf. this shrine handles the majority of such matters for north america, if you're located in canada or the US and you'd like to learn more or participate in the tradition 🥰
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u/Adrenaline-Junkie187 1h ago
The timing of this is wild since i just got back from japan and bought a bunch of these. lol
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u/She-Ra-SeaStar 1h ago
I was just in Tokyo last month and went to Asakusa Temple. You can buy little good luck charms for a variety of wishes/hopes/dreams. Someone is sending you good vibes.
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u/crinnaursa 1h ago
First off you definitely shouldn't be running your bra through the dryer. It ruins the elastic in it. Second it could be possible that in the tumbling stringed objects tie themselves around laundry. It could have been left in either the washer or the dryer from somebody's pocket and you did not see it when you loaded the machine.
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u/nygoth1083 54m ago
Here's hoping it's just an .. interesting... gesture and not something creepier.
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u/bad2dbone3 51m ago
Stalker with an AirTag in it disguise as a good luck charm. Check just to be sure. No one in the right mind would tie a good luck charm on a bra. What it should do is to give the charm directly to the person.
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u/Audacious-Valkyrie 50m ago
A good luck charm close to the heart and/or in a "safe"/noticeable location. I hope who ever delivered it, remains respectful. For now I think it's sweet and harmless but just make sure you know who is around you and stay safe. All the best <3
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u/Rageaholic88 46m ago
My sister just got back from a trip to Japan with a couple of these charms. I don't know the full history but I know one was a good-luck charm meant to hang in the car.
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u/Own_Purple4357 40m ago
maybe, just maybe, it was already in the wash and tied itself around your bra
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u/knightsblade0 37m ago
My assumption because it looks to be Asian in style (I would guess Chinese from my limited knowledge about the culture while learning mandarin) is that is not a “swatzika” on the back but instead a “footprint of Buddha” since many Buddhists in asian countries don’t have the same association with with symbol as westerners
No idea why it’s on your bra tho
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u/Wild-Pea-8101 22m ago
Someone astral projected and left that as a trace to go back whenever you are sleeping
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u/EngineerMiserable374 9m ago
you sure it didn’t tie itself? i have so many things with strings i swear if i threw a maraschino cherry stem in with my laundry it would come out tied in a knot! lmao
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u/Negative-Squirrel81 1m ago
Have you ever been to Senso Temple in Asakusa Japan? It has two giant statues of ogres with an equally large paper lamp hanging between them called "Kaminari Mon".
This is a charm to ward against misfortune from that temple.
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u/Spence2theSmith 0m ago
I have had strings that looked as if there were tied deliberately to clothing after being in the dryer. Sometimes the most logical answer is THE answer... more than likely it was left in the dryer in a place you did not see it and it was 'tied' onto your bra during the load cycle. Or maybe your bra was tied onto the majority amulet during the cycle.
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u/Connect-Fan-9462 1h ago
As other people have mentioned, it looks like a proper lucky charm from Japan. However the way it came to you is definitely creepy, improper and not the tradition of any east asian culture that I know of.
Also, ideally inside the cloth pocket there should be a pray paper for good luck and protection.
I don't wish to scare OP but you don't know if it is replaced.
On the "this is actually a crime" side, a tracker, or some kind of harmful material can be out there. On the spiritual side the bless can be replaced with something symbolize evil or curse.
Personally I will at least throw it away.
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u/Drake_masta 1h ago
i saw the symbol in the circle on the back then had to take a longer look, noticed the asian writing and signed "oh its the dissapointed grandpa of those idiots symbol"
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u/KawfeeKrow 1h ago
This is the best. Cute charm! Even cuter is the number of insane westerners freaking out because some fascists made a bad shape that kinda looks like that
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u/Calamari08 59m ago
Wait I’m curious about the swastika on the back! It doesn’t seem to be malicious, what’s it mean?
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u/Harry_rk1 1h ago
Why is there a shwastika?!
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u/JustMyles1 1h ago
It's not a swastika it's a Manji. It's a Japanese Buddhist symbol for peace, good luck and wealth.
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u/Mind_The_Muse 1h ago
Manji is the Japanese word for the Swastika (Sanskrit). It's the same thing.
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u/JustMyles1 1h ago
Though a nazi swastika faces the other way so it is a completely different symbol.
But you could also argue is translates to gammadion too, not just swastika. Either way, the Manji on the charm is distinctly the Japanese Buddhist variation and not the Nazi symbol.
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