Goshuin, a token of a visit to shrine and temple

If you check places to visit in Japan, you might notice that some of the recommended places are shrines and temples.  They are so embedded to our culture and resemles what we are and where we came from. A goshuin is one of a token of your visit to shrine and temple and it is in some way artistic as well.

 

1. What is Goshuin?

It's easier to show it rather than to explain it. The below is the one from Meiji Jingu.



Meiji Jingu

This Goshuin (御朱印）, literally means a bright red seal in Japanese.

It started as a proof of dedicating a Buddist scripture manuscript to a temple. In Edo-period, when average people got the luxury of travel, they chose famous temples as places to visit and enjoy. Around then it gradually became that they do not require to turn in manuscripts but rather just visiting and praying at those places. And this custom spread to shrines.

At present, depending on the fractions or the size of the places but most shrines and temples where tourists go have one or several. Goshuin lovers such as me visit various temples and shrines around Japan to enjoy the sites, pray for you and your family's happiness and collect goshuins. In sum, a goshuin lovers are collectmanias.

2. What are the types of Goshuins?

Goshuins can be largely separated into two types. Ones from shrines and ones from temples. A goshuins of shrines tends to be simple. Usually, it has the name of a shrine either in a red seal or in an ink brush.

Atsuta Jingu

Kumano Hongu

Karasumori Jinja

The above left is Atsuta Jingu in Nagoya, one of the three emperial treasures Kusanagi sword is enshrined. The middle is one from Kumano Hongu in Kumano, named the world heritage in 2004. The colorful one on the right is Karasumori Jinja in Shinbashi, not a big shrine but famous for this unique goshuin.

There are exceptions. Furumine Jinjya in Tochigi has a picture of tengu.

Furumine Jinja

In comparison, goshuins of temples have more variations. What you typically see is either a special name of the building in the temples or a principle image worshipped in that temple.

Yakushi-nyorai

Ruriden












For example, the above left is from Yakushi-ji in Nara and the main icon Yakushi-nyorai, Bhaiṣajya-guru in sanscrit, is written in the center. The red seal behind is a medicine pot which is a iconic motif carried by Yakushi-nyorai. The right is from Kanei-ji in Ueno. The Ruriden is named after Ruri-ko which is sacred power of Yakushi-nyorai so they are basically saying the same thing.



Buji

Namuamidabutsu












The left one is from Yuten-ji in Meguro. What is stamped in center is namuamidabutsu, a popular buddhist mantra. This type of mantra or a powerful phrase or  key message from buddhist scriptures. The right one is an example of those, is says buji (無事）, one of the key message from Zen. It is from Butsuzan-ji in Yufuin. To be honest, I cannot read this as buji. It has been so abstracted and some goshuins seem to be more than just a token of visit but rather an art.

3. Where can you get Goshuins?

It depends on shrine by shrine, temple by temple. Usually you could either find them at the main building, a separate side building where office of such shrine/temple sits or a hut specially designed to provide goshuins. 

4. What is Goshuin-cho?

A Goshuin-cho is a notebook which is designed to collect goshuins. You can purchase it from Goshuin book stores or some stationary stores but it is much handy and fun to get it at shrines and temples.

Some shrines and temples have its own design goshuin-cho decorated with its traditional symbols or treasures. These goshuin-cho themselves could be the collectors' item. As of now, I am still behaving myself ....

You can use both sides of goshuin-cho. It is spectacular to see goshuins filling every pages.

The right goshuin-cho is from Kumano Hongu. It has a distinctive garnishment in the main building and a three leg crow which is worshipped as a messenger of Kumano-Gongen god on it.

 

5. What are the rule in getting one?

There is only one rule of thumb. Pray to get one. Goshuin is a token of your visit and pray at those places. No need to be official in any way, put your hand together, close your eyes and just  say hello or thank the god in your heart. That's good enough.

6. How much is a goshuin?

 

It depends but for the most part it is 300 yen per goshuin. If it is complex or colorful it might be 500 yen. Goshuin-cho also depends but it is roughly around 1,000 yen to 2,000 yen.

 

 

Perhaps it would be interesting to try collecting goshuin as your memoir of your travel to Japan.

 



Ueno, a touch of Edo

You are in Tokyo, you need to find something to do for a day in weekend. How about Ueno Park?

1．Kiyomizu Kannon-do

It's on the way to Ueno Zoo from Ueno station, to the right hand side. This temple was also intended to take on Kiyomizu-dera, in Kyoto. Quite popular.  

 

The "Moon Pine" in the middle was the subject for the ukiyoe below, by Utagawa Hiroshige, famous Ukiyoe artist in Edo period. Hiroshige is famous for his landscape ukiyoes. The below is one from his series "Great Sites of Edo." It's interesting, Edo ukiyoes including one of Hiroshige's traveled all the way to Europe and influenced Van Gogh, Monet and other impressionist painters. 





This "Moon Pine" which Hiroshige portrayed was originally created by Edo period top gardener. The one we are seeing today was recreated by modern top gardener in 2012.

 

 

2. Benten-do

A temple you can see in the middle of Moon Pine above is Benten-do.

 

There is a curious urban legend in this Benden-do and Shinobazu-ike (Shinobazu pond). If you visit Benten-do and Shinobazu-ike with your boy friend/girl friend, you break up. Benten or Sarasvatī is one of the seven gods of good fortune and the only godess and if you visit here Benten gets jealous and break you up. There is a similar urban legend here and their in Japan but another famous place is Inogashira-Park. Similar origin, there is the Benten shrine.  

 

Don't forget to say hello to Benten-sama when you visit here...

 

3. Ueno Daibutsu (Ueno Great Budda)

 

Still on the way to Ueno zoo, this is the sign, says "Ueno Daibutsu." Unlike Kamakura Daibutsu or Nara Daibutsu, there is no big statue here. Only face of the great budda remains. Its head fell down in Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and during the World War II the rest of the head was taken away to fulfill military demand.   

 

Now it is worshipped especially by students who are anticipating exams. It has already fallen so you will never fail.

4. Ueno Toshogu

 

 

Tokugawa Ieyasu, the great shogun who established Tokugawa shognate which lasted for 265 years from 1603 now called Edo period, is enshrined in this place. It is a mini version of Nikko Toshogu.

 

 

A ema for this shrine is unique. An ema is a piece of wooden plate which you write your wishes and dedicate it to the shirine. You can see this only in shrines but it is quite common in shrines. The ema for Ueno Toshogu has a tanuki or a racoon on. Tokugawa Ieyasu's nickname is Tanuki for his cleverness so that's the reason why this shrine is putting Tanuki in its ema. There is a play of words, tanuki （狸） sounds the same as ta-nuki (他抜） or defeat the others. So this shrine is good for those who are in competition.

 

Hope I could write better ...

 

Chuson-ji, visiting Tohoku temples and shrines

This trip was in July 2014 during the Marine Day weekend. We caught the 9 am bullet train,Tohoku Shinkansen, from Tokyo to Sendai and then used a rented car.

One tip: If you travel using JR (Japan Railway Company) and a rent-a-car, there is a discount package offered called, Trenta-kun (no English site),  where you get discount off your fees on JR fares. There are some restrictions in using this package like using more than 210 km of Shinkansen.

We arrived at Hiraizumi around 12 half.

1. Motsu-ji

 

 

Motsu-ji is a remain of an ancient huge temple, larger than Chuson-ji, back in the beginning of 12th century where Fujiwara's ruled around here. Most of the buildings were lost by fires and now remains a jodo style garden.

 

 

Jodo means heaven and this garden was an attempt to create a buddhism heaven in this world. Ponds, bridges over them, a gorgeous buidling in center and lotus flowers are the features of this style gargen was popular in Heian peirod. I often hear in european cathedrals that they are built as a heaven in this world. It's a same here. It reminds me of how difficult life is for those people living at that time.

It was a good season for lotus. Next time I may want to this vist this place in the 4th Sunday in May when they hold a annual Gokusui-no-en event. Gokusui-no-en is an activity for Heian nobles which they try to create a poem before a cup floating on a stream passes before you. It will be interesting to see moder people in Heian outfit trying to squeeze out good poems.

2. Chuson-ji

It was raining when we arrived. Just like "an early summer rain, leaving only Hikari-do, 　without a shower" a haiku by Matsuo Basho, a famous poet in Edo period.

Basho's footprints and his poems tying into the various places, remain everywhere around Japan. There is even an academic debate that he might have been a ninja, claiming that it was not for ninga he could not have traveled that distance in such a short period. I like this theory, worth a laugh, but I tend to think he resembles more a famous travel blogger. He never misses a great place to visit and leaving behind a good haiku which attracts people.

 Matsuo Basho, a famous travel blogger

Chuson-ji is famous for the Golden Hall, Konjiki-do or a way Basho puts it Hikari-do. This is the reason why Marco Polo misunderstood Japan as a country of gold and Chirstopher Columbus ended up sailing out to the Atlantic.

On the way to the Golden Hall

 

My impression on the Golden Hall is somewhat small, maybe I was also the one misrepresended by Marco Polo, but still it was beautiful. By the way in this Golden Hall, the 4 generations of Fujiwaras were laid in peace, mummified and still are (!).

 

If you go all the way to the far end of Chuson-ji, you can find a cafe, Kanzan-tei. It has some noodles, pastas and desserts. I tried wagashi, a Japanese sweet which matches good with green tea. One of the Japanese cultural feature is to enjoy the seasons and this is one example of trying to feel the season in what you eat.   

 

Hotaru or a dragon fly

 

3.  Bettou Takkoku Seikou-ji

 

This temple is small and not that famous compared to Chuson-ji or Motsu-ji but still interesting to see the temple poised on the rocky hill. This temple was built by Sakanoueno Tamuramaro, a 9th century shogun designated by the emperor who sat in Kyoto at that time to conquer the barbarians in the North. He defeated them and to thank the war god, Bishamon-ten or Vaiśravaṇa in sanscrit, he sponsored to build this temple.

 

 

This temple was intended to take on Kiyomizu-temple in Kyoto. Yes, that Kiyomizu temple with big stage leaning out.   

 

Enclaved Budda on the rocky hill

 

Bettou Takkoku Seikouji (Takkoku Bishamondou)

Address: 16 Aza Kitazawa, Hiraizumi, Hiraizumi-cho, Nishiiwai-gun, Iwate

Tel: 0191-46-4931

Note: 10 minutes from JR Hiraizumi Station

 

4. Shiwahiko Shrine and Shiogama Shrine

 

On our way back to Sendai, we stopped by at Shiogama. Shiogama means in plain Japanese "salt cauldron" and also a nickname of the god, Shiotsuchiooji or Shiogama-sama who is enshrined. Shiogama-sama is a god of salt industry and fishery. Shiwahiko is another god who rests just next to Shiogama Shirine, who was worshipped by the locals back around 4th to 6th century and this place was at the edge of Yamato emperor's realm so this god was named "shiwa" which means edge in old Japanese.

 

 

These shrines are at the top of the hill where you can have a good view of Shiogama bay.　I heard that when the East Japan Great Earthquake hit Tohoku they could see Tsunami coming down from this place. It is interesting, generally speaking, old shrines are placed where is it most stable and tolerant on disasters in surrounding neighborhood. 

 

　Imagine tsunami coming down the bay

 

Shiwahiko Shrine/Shiogama Shrine

Address: 1-1 Ichimoriyama, Shiogama-shi, Miyagi

Tel: 022-367-1611

 

 



 

Shiogama is a fishing town, why not enjoy sushi, so we went to Sushi-tetsu (not in English but take a look at those sushi!).  I especially loved tuna or maguro. One of my lifetime best maguro-sushi so far. It has a branch in Miyagi station as well.

 

Sushi Tetsu

Address: 2-22 Kaigandori, Shiogama-shi, Miyagi

Tel:  022-362-3261

 

 

I really enjoyed this trip and hope you will too!