Goshuin collectors?

[nemo88]

For my recent trip my co-travelers introduced me to collecting of goshuin temple/shrine seals. I was only in Tokyo for a few days so didn't collect too many but got a nice start.

Just thought I would start a thread for likeminded people as well.

I'm not religious and not Buddhist, so this doesn't have any spiritual significance for me - but I love the beauty of the calligraphy and watching them write and imprint the seal is very soothing.

Any hints or tips for this activity? I noticed that in some shrines they can do more than one seal but don't have a 'menu' to choose from. How would one ask?

Although I'm not religious I do try to respect the temples and shrines so will do the water cleansing rituals and read up about the place first. Not treat it as just a collecting task.

For this trip I got Sensoji, Meiji and Nezu. My friends went to Kanda Myojin in Akiba that I couldn't join - they had a cute cartoon seal!

 

[hgkiaboon]

some of mine.

iirc /u/anyhowsaysay has dozens of books.

 

[nemo88]

wow! are they all filled? I have the blue one in the lower right corner - bought at Sensoji right? Where di you get the one with leaves?

 

[anyhowsaysay]

iirc /u/anyhowsaysay has dozens of books.

No. not so much. maybe i got around 150+ goshuins..
But book, only got 6.
Sometimes when i go rare shrines or temples then i get book for future usage.

 

[anyhowsaysay]

I'm not religious and not Buddhist, so this doesn't have any spiritual significance for me - but I love the beauty of the calligraphy and watching them write and imprint the seal is very soothing.

Any hints or tips for this activity? I noticed that in some shrines they can do more than one seal but don't have a 'menu' to choose from. How would one ask?

Normally they got a menu either paste on the windows or somewhere near the counter. If those temples offer multiple seals then the person writing it will ask you which one you prefer.

For me, I just get the "Main" one. (I don't get everything from one temple because i prefer different temples and getting one each, Also getting so many in one temple cost $$$)
If i already got the "Main" one from prior trips then i will get their Special edition one. Sometimes certain seasons or events they got such.

But if you want everything when they ask you, You can reply -> "Zen Bu, O Ne Gai Shi Masu" The meaning is "everything, thanks."

For Hint or Tips, just do slowly. No hurry. For me, i try to get all over Japan. Kyoto got the most temples/shrines to go. Nara also got quite a few.

 

[anyhowsaysay]

http://fishaqua.gozaru.jp/kyoto/syuin.htm
Kyoto Goshuin List.

http://www21.atwiki.jp/shuinn/pages/48.html
This one got many different parts of Japan. Easily more than 1k!

In Instagram, you can also find some japanese collect many of such with photo also

 

[hgkiaboon]

wow! are they all filled? I have the blue one in the lower right corner - bought at Sensoji right? Where di you get the one with leaves?

only the books in the top row are filled.

top row -
Shimogamo shrine (only available on Seijin no Hi), Todaiji, Ginkakuji

bottom row -
momoji+sakura are not from a temple, I got them from a small buddhist(?) store in Kitaoji; you'll notice that the labels are empty. The orange and blue dragons are from Sensoji.

 

[nemo88]

150! I have 6 but only from 3 shrines really. Hehe. I think it's easy to get over eager at the start and want to collect all the seals of a shrine, but I think yah -the main one is good enough. Was also thinking at most I will pick up a book from a special shrine, or some limited edition thing (but has some 'meaning' for me). I really like the calligraphy - very beautiful.

 

[flame_angel]

Yay, great to see people collecting them here. Just started last year so only 20 so far. Love the calligraphy, and I thought this is an alternative way of keeping a travel log.

 

[BeHappyLo]

Today the G7 Summit opens at Ise-Shima, at a hotel next to the holy Shinto Inner Shrine.
This is the gosshuin I obtained in March 2016.

 

[BeHappyLo]

President Obama became the 1st sitting President to visit Hiroshima. I collected this gosshuin in April 2016 from the famous shrine in island :-

Obama also personally made (with some help from an instructor) 4 origami cranes.
He gave 2 of them to students and left 2 at the Visitors' Deck at the Peace Memorial.

 

[nemo88]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing I love seeing people's collections and their personal connection.

Now when I stumble upon something I want to check out in Japan, I also try to see if there are any notable shrines nearby. LOL

 

[BeHappyLo]

There are thousands of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan.

I collect gosshuins only from those that match my thematic considerations.

One of the themes pertains to 'Guo' or 國。

I have [豐國」from Hiroshima's shrine and the following from Hokokuji 報國寺，Kamakura.
Hokokuji is my preferred temple when I visited Kamakura twice.

 

[martin]

There are thousands of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan.

I collect gosshuins only from those that match my thematic considerations.

One of the themes pertains to 'Guo' or 國。

I have [豐國」from Hiroshima's shrine and the following from Hokokuji 報國寺，Kamakura.
Hokokuji is my preferred temple when I visited Kamakura twice.

Interesting theme you have chosen. Then you should go to all the 國分寺， there are many of them.

Btw, how much is each stamp?

 

[nemo88]

Stamps are mostly 300¥ each, and can go up to 500¥. I paid 500¥ at Honzan Higashihongan-ji in Asakusa.

 

[martin]

Stamps are mostly 300¥ each, and can go up to 500¥. I paid 500¥ at Honzan Higashihongan-ji in Asakusa.

Ic, thanks.

 

[BeHappyLo]

Collect what you fancy and would keep for good. It is undesirable to collect gosshuins and then throw them away at random.

This spring, I was at Takayama but missed the opportunity to collect one from 安國寺。
But I will be going to the Sapporo Snow Festival 2017 and so I will collect one from Sapporo's 安國寺 to add to my collection of 'Guo" gosshuins.

My 2nd theme is gosshuins from World Heritage Sites. This spring, I went to Hiraizumi, a World Heritage site:-
http://hiraizumi.or.jp/en/heritage/

and collected these :-

From the JR Train station at Hiraizumi. Stamped it on my gosshuin.

From 毛越寺, Motsu-ji

From 中尊寺，Chuson-Ji