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Receiving a stamp

Japanese shrines and temples

When traveling in Japan you can find some very traditional architecture and atmospheres at the shrines and temples. At first glance, they do seem rather similar but they are actually quite different in religion, customs and uses.

The typical answer you might receive if you ask most Japanese people about the differences, is often a simple explanation of the different uses. Shrines are often used for celebratory events, like weddings, births of children, child-rearing and celebrating the New Year. And temples are often used for funerals, and memorial ceremonies and also for celebrating the New Year by the ringing of the large bells.

But the differences are actually much deeper and in a sense, more subtle.

In this week's Japanese learner's blog by one of the JOI Japanese teachers, Rie Imoto, Imoto sensei focuses on a recent fad in Japan that is related to traveling around Japan, visiting shrines and temples, by both domestic tourists and more recently, by foreign tourists as well.

御朱印をいただく
Receiving a stamp

imoto

By IMOTO Rie

Goshuin-2019

 日本に旅行に来て、神社やお寺を見て回る人は多いと思います。神社やお寺では、お参りした証として御朱印をいただくことができます。一般的には、押印のほかに、その神社やお寺の名前、お参りした日付けなどを、で書いてくださいます。

 御朱印は、昔からあるものですが、近年、神社やお寺にお参りして、この御朱印をいただくことがブームになっています。御朱印をいただくための手帳を「御朱印帳」といいますが、これも近年、さまざまなデザインの美しいものが売られています。大きい神社やお寺に行くと、そこのオリジナルの御朱印帳を購入することができます。

 御朱印は、神社やお寺のお守りなどを売っているところや、受付などで、だいたい300円くらいでいただくことができます。目の前で書いてくださるところもあれば、御朱印帳を預けておいて、しばらくして取りに行くところもあります。

 みなさんがもし神社やお寺を見て回るなら、ぜひ、御朱印帳を一冊用意して、記念に御朱印をいただいてはいかがでしょうか。

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video. 

御朱印(ごしゅいん)をいただく

 日本(にほん)に旅行(りょこう)に来(き)て、神社(じんじゃ)やお寺(てら)を見(み)て回(まわ)る人(ひと)は多(おお)いと思(おも)います。神社(じんじゃ)やお寺(てら)では、お参(まい)りした証(あかし)として御朱印(ごしゅいん)をいただくことができます。一般的(いっぱんてき)には、押印(おういん)のほか、その神社(じんじゃ)やお寺(てら)の名前(なまえ)、お参(まい)りした日付(ひづ)けなどを、筆(ふで)で書(か)いてくださいます。

 御朱印(ごしゅいん)は、昔(むかし)からあるものですが、近年(きんねん)、神社(じんじゃ)やお寺(てら)にお参(まい)りして、この御朱印(ごしゅいん)をいただくことがブームになっています。御朱印(ごしゅいん)をいただくための手帳(てちょう)を「御朱印帳(ごしゅいんちょう)」といいますが、これも近年(きんねん)、さまざまなデザインの美(うつく)しいものが売(う)られています。大(おお)きい神社(じんじゃ)やお寺(てら)に行(い)くと、そこのオリジナルの御朱印帳(ごしゅいんちょう)を購入(こうにゅう)することができます。

 御朱印(ごしゅいん)は、神社(じんじゃ)やお寺(てら)のお守(まも)りなどを売(う)っているところや、受付(うけつけ)などで、だいたい300円(えん)くらいでいただくことができます。目(め)の前(まえ)で書(か)いてくださるところもあれば、御朱印帳(ごしゅいんちょう)を預(あず)けておいて、しばらくして取(と)りに行(い)くところもあります。

 みなさんがもし神社(じんじゃ)やお寺(てら)を見(み)て回(まわ)るなら、ぜひ、御朱印帳(ごしゅいんちょう)を一冊(いっさつ)用意(ようい)して、記念(きねん)に御朱印(ごしゅいん)をいただいてはいかがでしょうか。

Receiving a stamp

There are many people who come to travel in Japan, and who go around visiting shrines and temples. At the shrines and temples, you can receive a stamp as proof of your visit. Generally, in addition to the stamped seal, you can also have the name of the shrine or temple and the date of your visit written for you by writing brush.

These stamps have been around since olden times, but in recent years, it has become a fad to receive these stamps when visiting shrines and temples. The diaries which are made for these stamps to be put in are called 'Goshuin Chou' (stamp diaries) and these in recent years have begun to be sold in a variety of beautiful designs. And when you go to large shrines or large temples, you can purchase some original 'Goshuin Chou'.

These 'Goshuin Chou' are sold in the places where they sell the shrine's charms or temple's amulets, or at the receptions and you can get them for about 300 yen. There are some places where you can get them written for you in front of your eyes, and others where you leave them there for a while and come and pick them up later.

If you do come to Japan on travel and visit around the shrines and temples please prepare one volume of a 'Goshuin Chou' and receive some stamps as a memento.

御朱印(ごしゅいん) a stamp that is given at a shrine or a temple

お参(まい)りする go visit (a shrine, temple)

証(あかし)として in sign of, in proof of

一般的(いっぱんてき)には generally

押印(おういん) seal

筆(ふで) writing brush

購入(こうにゅう)する purchase

お守(まも)り charm

imoto

Mina sama Konnichiwa ! My name is Rie Imoto. I live in Nara city with my husband and daughter. Nara city is the oldest capital of Japan and there still a lot of nature remaining from the old days.

I love photography, and always walk with my camera and enjoy taking pictures of flowers, the sky, mountains, and nature. I also like running. I often run around my neighborhood. I sometimes participate in marathons. When I run, it refreshes both my mind and body and I can spend the time energetically.

When I was a child, I was very interested in foreign cultures and so, because it was in the age before the Internet, I used to enjoy exchanging letters with many people from different countries. I am so glad that we can connect with people all over the world now using the Internet. I am really looking forward to teaching you Japanese and to hear about your stories in Japanese. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

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