y Ema [ Votive picture of a horse ] z
eEmafmeans a tablet which various pictures
are drawn on and we offer to a shrine.
Originally we offered real horses in reward
for realization of our wishes. Later we
came to offer horses when we pray gods.
However, it was troublesome for them to
raise these horses, so that earthen, wooden
or picture horses came to be substituted
for living horses.
By simplification we bagan to offer tablets
on which pictures of horses are
painted. And these tablets was named Ema.
This type of offering has been popular
among common people since the 13th century.
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