Guide · Culture
Goshuin: how to get a temple or shrine stamp
A goshuin is a stamp with brushed calligraphy. Pray first, then go to the desk. The usual fee is $2 to $3 (¥300 to ¥500); Todai-ji states $2 (¥300).
A goshuin is a stamp with brushed calligraphy that a shrine or temple writes in your book as a record of a visit. Pray first, then go to the stamp desk. The usual fee is $2 to $3 (¥300 to ¥500), per an embassy magazine; Todai-ji is the only site with an official fee, $2 (¥300) per goshuin.
Dollar figures use about ¥155 to US$1 and are rounded; you pay in yen, so check the rate. The hour matters as much as the price, because several sites stop writing in your book at 16:00. Hall manners are in Shrine and temple etiquette, the sites are compared in the temples and shrines guide, and the topic sits in the Culture hub.
What is a goshuin?
A goshuin is a stamp and brushed calligraphy given at a shrine or temple. An embassy magazine describes it as proof of a visit; no official English definition is found. Todai-ji, Ginkaku-ji and Kasuga Taisha give the most stamp detail on their official pages, and Kinkaku-ji’s page names its office only.
It comes in two forms. One is written by hand in your own book. The other is a pre-written single sheet, called kakioki. Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto issues both, depending on the hour.
How do you get one?
- Pray first. Go to the hall and pray, then go to the stamp desk. At a shrine, Jinja Honcho gives the sequence as a coin in the offering box, two deep bows, two claps and one bow. The temple version is in the etiquette guide.
- Find the desk and check its hours. Todai-ji has seven stamp points, and Kinkaku-ji has one office on its visitor route.
- Hand over your book. With no book, ask for a pre-written paper stamp.
- Pay in coins. Per the embassy magazine, most shrines post no fee. The stamp fee is separate from the offering at the hall, which Jinja Honcho says has no fixed amount.
Ask before you photograph anyone. Jinja Honcho says photos of buildings and grounds are usually allowed and vary by site, and that people should not be photographed without permission. Follow staff instructions.
Where is a goshuin issued?
Todai-ji has seven stamp points, listed below from its official goshuin page. Shigatsudo is not issuing during earthquake-resistance work, and Senjudo stopped when its special viewing ended.
| Stamp point | Hours |
|---|---|
| Daibutsuden | 07:30 to 17:30 (Apr to Oct), 08:00 to 17:00 (Nov to Mar) |
| Hokkedo | 08:30 to 16:00 |
| Kaidando | 08:30 to 16:00 |
| Nigatsudo | Until 16:00 |
| Fudodo | Until 16:00 |
| Nenbutsudo | Until 16:00 |
| Sashizudo | Until 16:00 |
Shigatsudo reopens on 17 January 2027, and whether it then issues goshuin is not found. Hall fees and hours are in the Nara, Osaka, Koyasan and Ise guide.
Ginkaku-ji (Kyoto). The temple writes in your own book until 16:00, summer and winter. After 16:00 you receive a pre-written single sheet. In busy periods single sheets may be offered all day, and a notice on site says so.
Kasuga Taisha (Nara). Goshuin, omamori (amulets) and ofuda (talismans) are available year-round from 09:00 until the gate closes.
Kinkaku-ji (Kyoto). The goshuin office is stop 19 on the visitor route, between Sekkatei and Fudo-do, and its hours are not stated. Kyoto’s other sites are in Kyoto temples and shrines.
Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu-dera state no goshuin policy.
What does a goshuin cost?
Expect $2 to $3 (¥300 to ¥500) per goshuin, with a range up to $6 (¥1,000), per the embassy magazine. Todai-ji’s $2 (¥300) is the only official figure. Treat the range as a guide, not a price list.
Fees are not found for Ginkaku-ji (including its autumn-limited goshuin), Kasuga Taisha, Kinkaku-ji, Fushimi Inari or Kiyomizu-dera.
Todai-ji also sells its own goshuin books:
| Design | Price |
|---|---|
| Purple | $16 (¥2,500) |
| Large floral | $13 (¥2,000) |
| Small floral | $10 (¥1,500) |
Do you need a book?
No. Without a book, ask for a pre-written paper stamp. Do not hand over an ordinary notebook to be written in.
A convention keeps shrine stamps and temple stamps in separate books. Sources disagree on whether it is a rule, so treat it as a convention.
What is the latest time to get one in winter?
Arrive before 16:00; the cut-offs are below. Ginkaku-ji’s grounds close at 16:30 from 1 December to the end of February.
| Site | Last time in winter |
|---|---|
| Todai-ji Daibutsuden | 17:00 (Nov to Mar) |
| Other Todai-ji points | 16:00 |
| Ginkaku-ji | 16:00 in your book, pre-written sheet after |
| Kasuga Taisha | Until the gate closes at 17:30 |
How do you plan a stamp day in Nara or Kyoto?
In Nara, visit Todai-ji’s smaller halls first, because every Todai-ji stamp point except the Daibutsuden stops at 16:00. Kasuga Taisha issues from 09:00 until its gate closes at 17:30, so it can come last.
In Kyoto, reach Ginkaku-ji before 16:00 to have your own book written in by hand. Its grounds close at 16:30 from 1 December to the end of February, so after 16:00 you have half an hour and receive a pre-written sheet.
Are there seasonal goshuin?
Yes, at two sites. Ginkaku-ji’s autumn-limited goshuin start on 1 November 2026. The temple also posts kakioki schedules for the year-end and New Year period on its site, and those dates are not found. Kasuga Taisha lists a seasonal goshuin meguri event.
For stamps at New Year, see Hatsumode and New Year at temples and shrines.
Where next?
- Shrine and temple etiquette: hall steps, photos and offerings.
- Koyasan temple stay: booking, prices and rules for a night at a temple.
- The temples and shrines guide: every site in one table.
- The Culture hub.
Questions
A stamp with brushed calligraphy that a shrine or temple writes in your book as a record of a visit. An embassy magazine describes it as proof of a visit. Pray first, then go to the stamp desk.
Usually $2 to $3 (¥300 to ¥500), and up to $6 (¥1,000), per an embassy magazine, which says most shrines post no fee. Todai-ji is the only site with an official fee: $2 (¥300) per goshuin. Carry coins.
No. Without a book, ask for a pre-written paper stamp. Do not hand over an ordinary notebook to be written in. Todai-ji sells its own books from $10 (¥1,500) to $16 (¥2,500).
Before. Pray at the hall first, then go to the goshuin desk. An embassy magazine gives that order; no official page states it.
Not at every site. Ginkaku-ji switches to pre-written sheets after 16:00, and six of Todai-ji's seven stamp points stop at 16:00. Todai-ji's Daibutsuden keeps its hall hours, to 17:00 from November to March, and Kasuga Taisha issues until its gate closes.