Goshuincho, a Collection of Religious Seals

Places of worship do not escape rules. Visitors, from Japan or abroad, can collect in a dedicated book, a goshuincho – which literally translates as ‘honourable red seal notebook’ – stamps of these temples and sanctuaries.

From stamps marked with their owner’s name to sign letters or official documents to more playful versions, found in stations and town halls featuring the local mascot, seals can be found everywhere in Japan.  

While these stamps were once reserved for people going on a retreat or coming to write sutras in these temples or shrines, they are now available to all. Everyone visiting Japan can collect the seals of the different places of worship they visit.

A codified ritual

However, the art of collecting these famous seals comes with some rules. First, the notebook. It cannot be any old notebook, but an accordion notebook with thick paper that can unfold completely to show all the stamps simultaneously. It can be found directly in temples or shrines or in stationery stores, of which there are still many across Japan.

Another rule is that the goshuincho can only contain seals coming exclusively from places of worship. If a monk were to see that other more playful stamps had been put in the notebook, he might refuse to stamp it.

A graceful ceremony

Then comes the long-awaited moment when the monk will blacken the page with his calligraphy. He first affixes the seal(s) of the temple, dipped in red ink, then completes the stamp with calligraphy in black ink, which serves as an official signature. Often, the date and the name of the temple are also calligraphed.

To get your hands on this souvenir, simply follow the signs marked ‘goshuin’ in the temples and shrines, which are usually located close to the where the votive plates are placed. The souvenir comes at the modest price of 300 to 500 yen, 2 to 4 euros.