Translation guide
In Japanese, the concept of a fortune teller is expressed through several terms that differ by method, setting, and nuance. The most common and general term is 占い師, but other words like 易者 or 占いをする人 are used in specific contexts.
A person who practices fortune-telling as an occupation or skill, using various methods.
The standard, neutral term for a professional fortune teller. Covers all methods (tarot, palm reading, astrology, etc.).
She is a famous fortune teller.
I had my palm read by that fortune teller.
A descriptive phrase meaning 'a person who does fortune-telling.' Less formal than 占い師, can refer to amateurs or hobbyists.
He is someone who does fortune-telling as a hobby.
A fortune teller who specifically uses the I Ching (Book of Changes) or other classical East Asian divination techniques.
A fortune teller specializing in I Ching divination. Often associated with street stalls or traditional settings.
I had my fortune told by a street-corner I Ching diviner.
A formal or literary term for a diviner, often using tortoise shells or yarrow stalks. Rare in modern conversation.
A person who sells or interprets omikuji (fortune slips) at a religious site.
A Shinto priest who may also perform divination or sell omikuji. Not a fortune teller in the usual sense, but sometimes fulfills that role.
The shrine priest handed me a fortune slip.
占い師 is the general term for any fortune teller, while 易者 specifically refers to a practitioner of I Ching divination. Use 占い師 unless you are certain the method is I Ching.
The English phrase 'fortune teller' is not directly translated as '運命を告げる人' or similar. Such expressions sound unnatural in Japanese. Stick to 占い師 or 易者.
Ancient diviners used turtle shells for fortune-telling.