2025 ARTICLE
The Sacred Ink Quest: 60 Must-Visit Goshuin Spots with a Comedic Twist
🤔 How Many Temples and Shrines Offer Goshuin in Japan?
And Where to Collect Them Without Looking Like a Lost Pokemon Trainer
Let’s be honest: if temples and shrines were Pokémon gyms, goshuin would be the ultimate collectible. And unlike that dusty snow globe from your last trip, these gorgeous calligraphy stamps actually come with spiritual flair — and zero glitter.
🌸 So… how many shrines and temples offer goshuin?
Japan is packed to the brim with sacred sites — roughly 160,000 in total, including:
~77,000 Buddhist temples
~83,000 Shinto shrines
Out of these, an estimated 60,000–80,000 spots offer goshuin. That's nearly half the spiritual real estate in Japan!
So yes, you have options. More than Tinder in Shinjuku on a Friday night. 😏
But hold up — not every place hands them out like free samples at Costco. Smaller shrines might ghost you (“staff not available today”), and some monks just can’t be bothered on rainy Tuesdays.
🏯 20 Top Tokyo Spots to Get Goshuin (aka Your Sacred Stamp Passport)
Start collecting in Tokyo where spirituality meets convenience and vending machines.
Senso-ji (Asakusa) – the OG of temples
Meiji Jingu (Harajuku) – whisper to trees and get blessed
Zojo-ji (near Tokyo Tower) – photogenic AF
Nezu Shrine – tunnels of torii and stamp perfection
Kanda Myojin – tech nerds’ divine protector
Yushima Tenjin – brainy shrine for students
Hie Shrine – mini Fushimi Inari vibes
Gotokuji – birthplace of the lucky cat
Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin – foxes in business suits
Daienji – quiet but mighty
Asakusa Shrine (next to Senso-ji) – double your stamp
Shibamata Taishakuten – retro charm, stamp included
Nogi Shrine – samurai honor with ink
Sengakuji – 47 loyal stamp samurai
Sumiyoshi Shrine – traditional and pretty
Oji Inari Shrine – foxy trails
Imado Shrine – for finding love (good luck)
Togo Shrine – war general with a writing flair
Akagi Shrine – sleek, modern, minimalist shrine aesthetic
Hanazono Shrine – Shinjuku’s spiritual time-out
⛩️ 20 Kyoto Goshuin Destinations (a.k.a. Stamp Heaven for the Historically Addicted)
Because if you haven’t collected at least five goshuin in Kyoto, were you even there?
Kinkaku-ji – Gold stamp dreams
Ginkaku-ji – Silver leaf serenity
Fushimi Inari Taisha – 10,000 torii, 1 epic stamp
Kiyomizu-dera – no stamp = heartbreak
Yasaka Shrine – geisha gods await
Ryoan-ji – zen garden, zen ink
Heian Jingu – colossal gates, colossal goshuin
To-ji – pagoda power
Sanjusangen-do – 1001 chances to get inspired
Nanzen-ji – aqueduct vibes, ancient ink
Eikan-do – fall leaves and hand-drawn grace
Shimogamo Shrine – one of the oldest, with a pen game
Kamigamo Shrine – UNESCO stamp flex
Ninna-ji – palace + pagoda = fancy goshuin
Kifune Shrine – water divination + ink = magical combo
Daigo-ji – mountain power temple
Tofuku-ji – autumn views, signature included
Chion-in – bell so big it might stamp you
Myoshin-ji – zen central
Shoren-in – blue lighting at night, ink by day
🍜 20 Osaka Shrines and Temples for Goshuin Hunters Who Also Want Takoyaki
Come for the food, stay for the sacred ink.
Shitenno-ji – oldest temple, freshest goshuin
Sumiyoshi Taisha – shrine goals
Osaka Tenmangu – brains, books, and blessings
Ikukunitama Shrine – downtown peace
Horikoshi Shrine – small, mighty, stampy
Namba Yasaka Shrine – lion head shrine that’s cooler than you
Isshinji Temple – Buddha statues made from ashes
Katsuo-ji – "Winning" temple – get that motivational stamp
Aizendo Shomanin – secret charm, open ink
Tamatsukuri Inari Shrine – fox guardians
Hozenji – mossy lantern alleyway stamp
Sakurai Shrine – sakura + signature = yes
Shoman-in – rare, peaceful, and lovely calligraphy
Hiraoka Shrine – low-key local vibes
Takaoka Shrine – tucked into the city
Honden Hiraoka Jinja – traditional structure
Daisen Park Tombs – historical depth
Sanko Shrine – warrior history and goshuin glory
Osaka Museum of History Temple site – yes, even that
Jigenji Temple – the weird one with the “eye-cleaning” ritual
😂 Final Thoughts from a Goshuin Addict
Let’s be real: goshuin hunting is Japan’s most sacred side quest.
You’ll start with “just one,” and suddenly you’re sprinting across Kyoto in flip-flops, trying to reach the next temple before the priest takes his lunch break at 11:57 AM.
Your friends will ask, “Are you collecting art?”
No.
“Religious relics?”
Still no.
You’ll respond:
“I'm building a spiritual sticker book for grown-ups, thank you.” 😎
So pack your goshuin-cho (stamp book), your best ink-face, and a healthy addiction to beauty — because these stamps are more than souvenirs; they’re a poetic, divine, sometimes hilarious way to trace your footprints through Japan.
🛐📖💮 Now go forth, blessed traveler, and collect the ink of the gods.