Izumo Taisha
SHIMANE · IZUMO
Izumo Taisha
Izumo, Shimane Pref.
The grand shrine of fated bonds. A special visit during October — when all gods gather.
HOME/PILGRIMAGE
SHRINE & TEMPLE PILGRIMAGE
Visiting shrines and temples, one by one.
Goshuin are not just records of pilgrimage — they are letters from the place and season. We design journeys around them, from famous temples to hidden mountain shrines.
9 SACRED SITES
Iconic Goshuin pilgrimage sites.
Open a card to see where each place comes from — then pick the ones to add to your journey.
Ise Jingu
MIE · ISE
Ise Jingu
Ise, Mie Pref.
Dedicated to the imperial ancestral deity. Visited in the traditional Geku → Naiku order.
Kumano Nachi Taisha
WAKAYAMA · NACHI
Kumano Nachi Taisha
Higashimuro, Wakayama Pref.
One of the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano — a UNESCO sacred site overlooking Nachi Falls.
Itsukushima Shrine
HIROSHIMA · MIYAJIMA
Itsukushima Shrine
Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Pref.
The vermilion torii standing in the sea — a World Heritage shrine framed by the high tide.
Kasuga Taisha
NARA
Kasuga Taisha
Nara, Nara Pref.
A millennium-old shrine guarding the ancient capital, lit by 3,000 lanterns.
Byodo-in Temple
KYOTO · UJI
Byodo-in Temple
Uji, Kyoto Pref.
The Phoenix Hall on the 10-yen coin. An early-morning visit in the home of Uji matcha.
Zenko-ji Temple
NAGANO
Zenko-ji Temple
Nagano, Nagano Pref.
A non-sectarian sanctuary. Receive the early-morning rosary blessing and traverse the underground sanctuary.
Kongobu-ji
WAKAYAMA · MT. KOYA
Mt. Koya — Kongobu-ji Temple
Ito, Wakayama Pref.
A sacred mountain of Shingon Buddhism. Stay at the Okunoin temple lodgings and join an Ajikan meditation at dawn.
Enryaku-ji
SHIGA · MT. HIEI
Mt. Hiei — Enryaku-ji Temple
Otsu, Shiga Pref.
Head temple of Tendai Buddhism, UNESCO listed — walk the Three-Pagoda Pilgrimage and the Sennichi Kaihogyo route.
Goshuin are hand-written at each shrine and temple on the day of the visit, so the design differs every time. Every seal image on this page — on the front of the cards as well as the back — is our own illustration, not an actual goshuin.
Shrine and temple photographs are from Wikimedia Commons (not our own photography). All of them have been cropped and resized to 4:3 for use on this page. Photographers and sources:
- Izumo Taisha — Saigen Jiro / CC0
- Ise Jingu — Zairon / CC BY 4.0
- Kumano Nachi Taisha — Zairon / CC BY 4.0
- Itsukushima Shrine — Balon Greyjoy / CC0
- Kasuga Taisha — Zairon / CC BY 4.0
- Byodo-in Temple — 御影守駒氏 / CC0
- Zenko-ji Temple — 663highland / CC BY 2.5
- Mt. Koya — Kongobu-ji Temple — 663highland / CC BY 2.5
- Mt. Hiei — Enryaku-ji Temple — 663highland / CC BY 2.5
CONSULTATION
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your Goshuin pilgrimage.
A private pilgrimage with a specialist guide.
Reach us via the arrangement form.