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2011
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Temple and Shrine seal book
You have probably seen a temple and shrine seal book already, but you were not sure what exactly it is?
Trust me when I say you’re missing out on something GREAT!
What is a temple and shrine seal book?
I think most people outside of Japan don’t know about these temple and shrine seal books and I wish I knew about them earlier, too!! .gif)
Whenever you visit a shrine or temple in Japan, apart from praying you can also buy lucky charms, omikuji or ema (wooden wishing plaques).
Furthermore you can receive special seal(s) of that temple / shrine. Each one has a unique seal! Some offer even more than just one seal design, so sometimes it’s hard to choose!
Where can you get the seal books?
The seal books are called“朱印帳” (shuinchou) in Japanese.
I certainly recommend this as a souvenir, especially for people who keep coming to Japan again and again and so can collect new seals every single time they visit.
There are many types of seal books. A lot of them are rather plain with no pattern or images on them.
The really big temples or shrines usually have nicer looking seal books.
Usually you pay around 1000yen for such a book and you’ll get your first seal in the temple/shrine you bought it for free. .gif)
Try to copy and paste [朱印帳] into Google’s Image search and you’ll see all the great designs!
This is a photo of my second seal book. I bought it in Miyazaki’s Aoshima Srhine.
My first book that was pictured earlier was purchased at Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Currently I’m on my 3rd book which I obtained at Ikuta Shrine in Kobe!
I’ll keep this blog post updated with every new purchase, so you’ll know where you can buy seal books in Japan and what they look like!
Of course, Japanese people do not keep those book as a souvenir. For them it has a religious background. I was told that many Japanese people take those books into their grave when they die. Others try to get the book full while doing one of the famous pilgrimages. The most famous is probably the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. That is definitely something I want to try one day, too.
What about the actual seals?
Once you’ve gotten some seals it looks like in the photo above.
One seal per page. It’s a pricy souvenir as one seal usually costs 300yen. As for what is actually written, it depends. On the side you always get the date (in the photo: December 30th 2010 = my first 2 seals ever). In the middle written in bigger letters is often the temple’s or shrine’s name (but not always).
I think it’s a very unique and special souvenir that not everybody has. The monks or priests who are about to write the seal into my book are always surprised to see how many temples and shrines I’ve already visited.
Apart from receiving the seal, it’s also very calming and interesting to watch the monk or priest writing the seal with a big brush and black ink.
So, what do you think?
Isn’t this a great souvenir to get? Have you ever heard of them before or do you even have a seal book? .gif)
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Hi! I love the Shuincho, I am halfway through my third book by now. I call it “my little passport to heaven” (just in case the Buddhists are right! (^-^;)
Hello..gif)
.gif)
(if Buddhists read this *g*), but I don’t think I will.
Thank you very much for your comment, really appreciated.
Wow, your 3rd book already? That’s awesome!
I wonder how many books I’d have by now, if only I had started earlier.
Yes, you’re supposed to take it with you into your grave aren’t you?
I’m sorry
So pretty! ;u; I will definitely buy one when I go to Japan this summer. They should have some in the Meiji Shrine, I guess? It’s pretty big after all. What is this book called in Japanese? ^-^
Hello!.gif)
Thanks a lot for posting here! As you know I love your blog design a lot! ^-^
Those books are called “朱印帳” (shuinchou; shuin = seal; chou = book, e.g. phonebook).
The really cool ones with pictures on it aren’t available everywhere. It doesn’t have to do with the size of the shrine in my experience! I have no idea if you can get them in Meiji Shrine. I haven’t visited in 5 years (long before I knew about those books!!). My feeling tells me no.
Recently I saw books like that at Aoshima Shrine (Miyazaki Prefecture), Mt. Yoshino (Nara Prefecture) and Yamadera (Yamagata Prefecture).
You can get simple books without any print almost everywhere, though, but I guess that’s not what you want?! ^-^;
P.S.: I’ll give you a little hint. Copy the Japanese word for it and paste it to Google’s picture search. You’ll see some really beautiful designs and it also gives you an idea where you can get the books (if you can read some Japanese).
Darkblue seems to be the most common (like the one in my photo, too). Now I also have a lightblue and a pink one, though.
I’m sorry for the late reply Dx
But thank you so much! I will try to find one, otherwise maybe I can have some friends get one for me kekeke =u= But yours is so pretty, I think I might steal it. :<
Haha, thank you?!?.gif)
I have 3 books by now. One is lightblue and one is pink. The pink one I purchased at Ikuta Shrine in Kobe.
One reason why I don’t recommend that others get the book for you is that at most shrines or temples you’ll get your first seal for free when you purchase the book.
It should be you in person and nobody else who receives that first seal, don’t you think? ^-^
I’m sure you’ll come across a few facilities that sell the books. In the meantime you can collect the seals on a sheet of paper and just paste it into your book later..gif)
Hi there!
I really like your post about the seal books. I have been collecting for some time and am in the middle of my second book. My first book is from Takao San shrine in Tokyo prefecture and my second one from Todaiji in Nara.
I was wondering if people get seals from the same shrine twice or multiple times each time they visit?
Cheers,
Tobi
Hallo!.gif)
Danke für deinen Kommentar!
I started in early 2011 and will soon start my 3rd book. I wonder how many books I’d have by now if I started in early 2008. Too many! *g*
That’s a good question. I don’t.
I’m not sure if it makes any sense to get the same seal from the same shrine several times. As far as I understand you should collect as many as possible from various sacred places, but I don’t know for sure and I’ve never asked other people about it to be honest! ^-^;
I was just fascinated to read about these ~ I love them and the books are so nice too ~ I was fascinated to see the Monk writing the seal <3
I just wished back when I use to travel to Japan I collected these, but I always seemed so busy ~ but its a good excuse to go again & start a book.
Thank you for sharing it ~ I really loved it !
Syd
Hello Syd!.gif)
Thank you so much for your nice comment!
I know! I wish I could have discovered them earlier as well! ^-^;
You definitely should get one and collect seals the next time you come here!
Now I wonder if the Naminoue shrine in Naha might have had a nice one… hm…
I always keep my eyes on them and I didn’t see any there.
Almost every shrine / temple has one, but like mentioned most of them are plain and boring.
How delightful to see such a detailed post on Shrine and Temple Books. My first experience seeing one was at Nikko, it brought me to tears seeing the monk writing. I had finally landed in Japan after over 30 years of dreaming. Since then I have a treasured collection from many years alongside my journey studying Japanese calligraphy in Gunma. If I had to think of one beautiful object to carry as a memory and actually to keep by my side as a spiritual guide and visual companion, a temple book would be that object.
I couldn’t have described it any better!
I think for somebody who studied calligraphy like you it must be an even greater treasure! ^_^
Howdy! Have been following on twitter and checking your blog recently – saw this post. Those are really cool.gif)
When our family goes back to Japan we will have to try and find some. I also found a website that has a few listed: http://chrbru.net/page-seal-books.html There is one listed for Meiji that is nice, but not quite as nice as those you posted .gif)
Thanks a lot for your comment!.gif)
Yes, that site has a few nice designs as well. Thanks for sharing it with us! ^___^
Das werde ich definitiv in Japan starten! Tolle Idee!!!
Freut mich! Ich hoffe, du findest ein schönes Büchlein, aber in Yokohama und Tokio gibt es bestimmt einige!
Thanks for this post. I actually read yours before your answer in Yahoo ask! lol =_=
I am on a year Exchange in Kyoto and discovering goshoin is purely by accident. Interesting and very cool blog. Thanks again.
Hello! ^___^.gif)
Glad you like the blog.
You’re lucky that you’ve discovered them now! I wish I had discovered them right after moving to Japan as well!
Hello!.gif)
I’m really glad I found your blog last week! I found a lot of new things here that I really like!.gif)
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Setsubun , Japanese New Year and these Sealbooks for example !
I’m really glad I found out about them this early ~. This way I can start them at the beginning of my holiday! I can’t wait for December~ , I will stay in Japan for three months then !
I hope everything goes well!
Hello Mana!
I’m so happy to hear that you like my blog and thank you for being so supportive!
Oh, you’ll come to Japan for 3 months? Is it for vacation?
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! ^___^
You’re welcome!.gif)
Yes I’ll be on vacation~
And I also want to see what everyday life in Japan is like. So I will be staying in an apartment for 3 months :)