Life in Japan

Byōdō-in: Goshuin and Phoenix

In Japanese Buddhist temples and some Shinto shrines, there’s an awesome tradition of receiving a goshuin in exchange for a small donation.

A goshuin is a piece of calligraphy, usually featuring the name of the temple and the date of your visit. It can be written on any piece of paper you provide, but people who collect goshuin usually have a special book designed for them called a goshuinchō. These books can be purchased at any temple that provides goshuin. There are many different kinds, ranging from the most basic to the most intricate.

I already have a goshuinchō for the temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, which is slowly but surely filling up. (I share some of the ones I've collected in the past on my website, Setouchi Explorer - see the link above - and I'll probably share future ones here.) During my latest visit to Kyoto, I decided to start another goshuinchō for any other temples I may visit.

However, I decided to add a small twist to this one. For each goshuin, I’ll also try to draw an iconic element of the place.

I started with Byōdō-in, where I bought this new goshuinchō, as you can see above.