I recently started collecting goshuin since arriving in Japan (many thanks to u/Himekat for their [great post](https://old.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/eu1v35/looking_for_interesting_and_unique_goshuin_and/) on this subject). I recently went to Sukunahikona-jinja hoping to receive the “rainy day” goshuin mentioned in their post. However, unless something got lost in translation, they told me they would only stamp their own goshuincho which I would have to purchase separtely. It seemed to be this way even for the regular goshuin from what I understood. Is this normal? I was a bit surprised about this considering this shrine was one of the one’s mentioned in the post, I’m not sure if covid changed things. Maybe u/Himekat can elaborate if this was also the case in pre-2020? In any case, I thought this information might be relevant for future goshuin collectors, perhaps other shrines also have this policy.
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I’m approving this because I’d love to hear other people’s input on this question or if someone else has experienced this before.
That said, I’ve received hundreds of goshuin and I’ve never had any shrine or temple tell me they wouldn’t stamp another shrine’s goshuincho. When I received that particular goshuin, it was definitely in another place’s goshuincho, as I don’t have that shrine’s book.
I think it’s possible something was lost in translation? Did you make it clear you already had a book with you? Sometimes if they don’t see your book immediately in your hand, they might think you’re inquiring about buying one. Either that, or they changed the process, and you encountered an extremely rare instance that I wouldn’t expect to be common among other shrines/temples.
According to the Sukunahikona Jinja website they usually only do their goshuin on a loose piece of paper but i guess they’ll also do it in the books that they sell. It seems they have a few different goshuin for different occasions. So if you already have a different book i guess you just have to insert the paper between the pages or tape it in or something.
I haven’t been back to this shrine in years, so I don’t know when this change was implemented, but the special rainy day one will only be done in their own goshuinchou. This is the only goshuin they do that has this restriction.
https://www.sinnosan.jp/blog/guide/gosyuin/
> ※直書きのみ・当社御朱印帳お一人一冊のみ書き入れ
Basically: “written-in only, and only in (this shrine’s) goshuinchō”
There are a lot of temples and shrines which will only write directly in the goshuincho if you buy it from them (ie they are the first ones to touch the book) citing COVID as the reason. Otherwise they prewrite it on a piece of paper and you are expected to paste it into the book. This is sometimes also done for special or more time consuming goshuin since pre-writing reduces queues.
Did something get lost in translation?
I collected 6 in Tokyo in late 2022 after the covid borders reopened, and have also never had my goshuincho turned away.
Of the [ones I collected](https://youtu.be/DmxbAcsxy1Y?t=199), the following half were on loose paper, but they either tucked it into my goshuincho (not from their shrine/temple) or handed it to me in a protective envelope.
– Meiji Jingu – still appears hand written
– Karasumori Jinja – unfortunately the stamps appear to be printed, but the calligraphy still appears hand written
– Shiba Daijingu – still appears hand written
I also assume these are mostly from covid protocols, rather than to sell their own goshuincho. Agree with other commenters that it seems very rare to require that and looks to be unique to that particular seasonal goshuin
Last Nov, Izumo Taisha would only write if you buy one fresh from them. Otherwise it’s a pre written piece of paper. Covid was given as reason.
I’ve been to a shrine where they had like, a special goshuin that you could only get if you bought their goshuincho. I had to pick out a different one because I didn’t want to buy the book.