This fortnight brings an impromptu travel special, inspired by a trip to Japan!
In amongst the dazzling lights, ramen and adorable traffic cones, you’ll find thousands upon thousands of temples and shrines.
There are a whopping 1,600 temples in Kyoto alone.
When my friend Blake and I were exploring a temple in Mount Fuji, some intricately embroidered notebooks caught our eye.
Blake works in publishing, so was telling me about the curious back-to-front style of these butterfly-bound notebooks.
An American couple shuffled over, intrigued by our chat. They told us about what the notebooks are used for.
As it turns out, this hobby is something kept quite tightly under wraps, a bit like letterboxing.
We heard it through the great shrine
Apparently, you fill the books with goshuin, a stamp unique to each temple and/or shrine. The books themselves are called goshuincho.
Zojo-ji temple, in front of Tokyo Tower
If you break down the word goshuin, it looks a little something like this:
Go: honourific prefix
Shu: vermilion ink, traditional in Japanese culture
In: stamp
They were originally given when offering a sutra (scripture) to temples or shrines. Now they’re given to visitors of the temples.
This diagram from Ginkaku-ji temple in Kyoto explains what they mean better than I can:
A stamp collection of a different kind
How do I start collecting?
First, you’ll need to get hold of a notebook.
Goshuincho can be picked up at shops selling items relating to Buddhism as well as various stationery shops across Japan. They cost between 1000-2000 yen each (that’s around £10 or $13).
Some of the larger temples and shrines sell their own notebooks. Mine came from the aforementioned shrine overlooking Mount Fuji, featuring an embroidered picture of The Fooj itself (opposite).
Not all temples and shrines offer goshuin. It's best to check with the staff before you look around.
You'll need to give your book in at a marked ‘goshuin-jo’ or ‘nakyo-jo’ kiosk. If you’re struggling to find it, asking ‘goshuin please?’ should do the job.
Certain places will even give you a choice between two or more designs.
In most instances, each goshuin will cost 300 yen (just over £2; about $2.70), but some could cost 500 yen (£3.45; about $4.50). Try and have the correct change to hand if you can.
Some temples will be busier than others. At the quieter ones you can see the stamp being created right in front of you by temple priests or shrine maidens — but put that camera away, they won’t allow to take photos or video of the calligraphy in action.
As a general point of etiquette, it’s wise that you go and pray first to show your respect to the temple. That said, some of the more tourist-y temples ask you to drop off your notebook first and collect it on your way out. You’ll need to suss it out when you get there.
SO. MANY. TEMPLES.
Feeling a bit of that temple fatigue? I hear ya. Blake did more than me, but we reckon we must've covered around 30 between us.
The good news is that stamps aren't exclusive to temples and shrines. One day when we were looking for a different temple, we stumbled upon Rakushisa, the cottage of Japanese haiku poet, Mukai Kyorai. And lo – they have goshuin! So yes, if you visit relics like these, it’s worth asking. You could land a surprise stamp!
On that note: wherever you are in Japan, take your notebook with you, even if you’re just nipping out for milk. You may very well pass a temple before you pass a 7/11.
A goshuin-packed notebook is a terrific souvenir because each one is slightly different, so it’s personal to you, mapping your trip of Japan. And for want of a less hipster word, it’s authentic.
Just as an aside: why are there shrines and temples? Aren’t they from two different religions?
Yup.
Shrines are a symbol of Shintoism — parents take their child to a shrine at one month old to pray for health, happiness, prosperity and all that good stuff. The parent will take them back again at the ages of three, seven and nine to do the same thing. Just in case that doesn’t seal the deal, they’ll return on special occasions like the child's graduation and wedding.
Buddha statue at Kōtoku-in temple in Kamakura, just outside Tokyo
Buddhism made it across the water in the 6th century after being adopted by China and Korea. The Japanese liked the idea of reincarnation as a new beginning as opposed to the finality of death. It’s sort of like a dual religion.
You can totally tell that I did a walking tour.
I’m not going to Japan any time soon. Can I collect something similar elsewhere?
Other than passport stamps, I’m afraid not.
However, there are all sorts of things that you can hoard when you're country-hopping. Travellers have been known to collect fridge magnets, bracelets, even Wi-Fi passwords!
Do you collect anything when you go away? Let us know in the comments below — don't forget to include pictures!
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