Wishes and prayers in Japan are commonly written on wooden plaques, called ema, which are available at Shinto shrines.

Unfortunately, though, curse messages directed at Hong Kong and Taiwan were recently uncovered at Tokyo's Meiji Shrine.

The Meiji Shrine is one of the major shrines of Japan, dedicated to the deified spirits of the Meiji emperor and empress.

First posted on Twitter

Twitter users posted pictures of these messages (we'll translate these for you in a bit):

中国人が明治神宮で、台湾独立や香港独立に反対して中国の一部分。
中国万歳という絵馬を並べる😡😡https://t.co/bCJQh9EJTW https://t.co/ywEcyoBDO0 https://t.co/pT7GWqDjAa pic.twitter.com/IOsIvHUqM3

— 香港独立派・自決派・本土派_情報館😷 (@kkhhlhh) August 15, 2019

https://twitter.com/tabi1224/status/1162308993387094017

Some of the messages were simply calls for unification, but others contained vulgarities and curse words directed at Hong Kong and Taiwan:

"Liberate your mum's Hong Kong? Families of supporters of Hong Kong independence die. Your mum die. It'll be good if you die. B*tch. Long live China. What the hell, Hong Kong independence must die."

"I wish that everyone that I love, and everyone that loves me stay healthy and successful. Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, We are one China."

"The families of Hong Kong independence supporters should all die, Hong Kong belongs to China. In the past, in the present, and in the future as well. Go China."

"Our Hong Kong and Taiwan independence supporters, just stop living already."

Yikes.

Chinese tourists blamed

Many Twitter users responding to the initial tweets and photos accused Chinese tourists of writing the hurtful remarks inside the Japanese shrine.

https://twitter.com/fasky_moony/status/1162140052886978560?s=20

"I'd like to ask the Chinese which gods they're praying to at the Meiji Shrine. It's impossible for such wishes to be granted. But before that, wouldn't these confidence-lacking Chinese be punished by the gods?"

Family wide death?? Japanese shrine has never ever made a sort of wish.
I love you HK and best wishes.

— Maple めいぷる💛💙 (@mihoonexo) August 16, 2019

Some gave words of encouragement to Hong Kong:

香港加油，辛苦了！
過激人士用行為顯示了他們的醜陋，在國外丟自己人的臉。

— 乳酪牛🐈🦅📖 (@RurooR) August 16, 2019

"All the best Hong Kong, it's been tough on you! These overzealous people's actions have exposed their ugliness, bringing shame to themselves overseas."

While others asked a reasonably valid question:

https://twitter.com/DDP0817_Dos/status/1162716243717005313

"I wonder if they considered the fact that Meiji Shrine is dedicated to the Meiji Emperor of Japan. Well, there's nothing wrong worshipping your enemy's emperor, just kinda weird."

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cover photo via @kkhhlhh/Twitter

Read more: