EMA - VOTIVE PLAQUES At most shrines, one often finds a stand with hundreds of small wooden plaques attached to it. These votive plaques, sold at the Shrine, are called ema. Worshippers buy the plaque, write their wish on it, then hang it on the ema stand, in hopes the shrine deity will grant their wish. All types of wishes are made -- couples hoping to have children, students hoping to pass school exams, and people looking for true love.I haven't bought an ema yet, but mostly because I wasn't sure what they were. There's plenty of wishes I'd like to make...