This quirky Japanese proverb has also been translated as “Through faith, even a sardine’s head seems precious.”

Across translations, the underlying meaning remains the same: anything can become sacred if you believe it enough. In English, a loose equivalent would be “Miracles happen to those who believe in them.”

The origin of this saying can be traced to the Edo period. Back then, it was common to hang the head of a sardine at the entrance of one’s home to ward off evil spirits.

While sardine heads are not seen as particularly valuable objects in Japan, they take on symbolic value because of the protective qualities imbued in them by the belief that they can guard against evil.

Faith is a powerful thing.