Goshuin Temple Stamps

A goshuincho is a notebook carried by Buddhist pilgrims and temple visitors to collect ink stamps from each place they visit. The tradition traces back to pilgrims who would hand-copy sutras and receive a stamp as certification of their effort. Today, the books are not a requirement, but collecting goshuin has become a popular practice in its own right, and the stamps themselves, with their distinctive red and black designs, are often quite beautiful. At Saihoji in Kyoto, the goshuin stamp is available throughout the year. The notebooks and stamp designs vary enormously between temples, making the collection meaningful as a record of places visited.