[Site Update] Goshuin Collection

Whenever I visit a shrine or temple, I try to pick up a goshuin. A goshuin is a hand-written seal stamp made with elegant calligraphy and red ink, recorded as proof of your visit. You can have it written directly into your goshuincho (stamp book), or you can receive a pre-written version on paper (kakioki goshuin) to paste into your book later.

I’ve updated Postcards from Japan with a new Goshuin section that shows my growing collection of stamps I received at temples and shrines across Japan. The collection is searchable, you can enter a shrine or temple name in either English or Japanese. I will keep adding to this collection, so come back to see new ones!

A goshuin typically costs 300 or 500 yen, though special or limited designs can be 700 yen or more. Larger shrines and temples usually have a small counter where you will see visitors lining up to receive them. At smaller or unmanned sites, you might find a box with pre-written goshuin instead, and you can write the date of the visit yourself and leave the payment in the donation slot.

Collecting goshuin stamps can be a really meaningful way to remember the places you’ve visited. Each goshuin is unique, with its own character, and over time the book becomes a simple record of where you have been and the memories you made there.