Temples and shrines in and near Ueno Park that offer goshuin, the brush-written seals of a visit: Ueno Toshogu, the Kaneiji halls, Gojoten Shrine, and Shitaya Shrine.
- Ueno Toshogu lists goshuin on its official website.
- Kaneiji gives goshuin at several halls in Ueno Park, including Kiyomizu Kannon-do and Shinobazu Bentendo. Current designs are posted on its Instagram.
- Shitaya Shrine offers goshuin for Shitaya Shrine and Ryuei Inari Shrine, which alternate by month.
- Visit and pray before asking, and arrive well before the office closes.
Next Step
Write with a brush yourself
Classes are held in the hall of Shitaya Shrine. The beginner class is 60 minutes, guided in English.
Before you start
A goshuin is a record of your visit, written with a brush in black ink and stamped with red seals by staff at the temple or shrine office. Bring a goshuincho, the folding book used to collect them, and cash for the offering. Some places hand out a pre-written sheet instead of writing in your book.
Offerings, office hours, and the designs on offer change, sometimes month to month. The places below are listed because a source confirms they give goshuin, but check each official site or social media account before you go.
Visit the main hall and pray before asking for a goshuin. Hand over your book open to a blank page, wait while it is written, and avoid arriving in the last minutes before the office closes. Do not photograph staff while they write unless you have asked.
Ueno Toshogu
Ueno Toshogu is a shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu, founded in 1627. Its gold-decorated buildings, rebuilt in 1651, are designated Important Cultural Properties. The shrine's official website has a page for goshuin and charms.
According to the shrine, visiting hours start at 9:00 and end at 16:30 from October to February and at 17:30 from March to September. Allow time to see the main buildings before going to the office.
Kaneiji halls in Ueno Park
Kaneiji was the temple of the Tokugawa shoguns, and much of today's Ueno Park was once its grounds. Several of its halls still stand in and around the park. Kaneiji's official website has named four places where it gives goshuin: Shinobazu Bentendo, Kiyomizu Kannon-do (which also handles the goshuin for the Ueno Daibutsu), Kaizando, and the main hall, Konponchudo.
Kiyomizu Kannon-do, first built in 1631 and modeled on Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, and Bentendo, on an island in Shinobazu Pond, are the easiest to include on a walk through the park. Bentendo is also one of the stops on the Yanaka Seven Lucky Gods pilgrimage. Kaneiji says the goshuin currently available are posted on its official Instagram account.
- Shinobazu Bentendo
- Kiyomizu Kannon-do (also for the Ueno Daibutsu)
- Kaizando
- Konponchudo, the main hall
Gojoten Shrine and Hanazono Inari
Gojoten Shrine and Hanazono Inari Shrine share a site on the west side of Ueno Park, near Shinobazu Pond. Hanazono Inari is known for its row of red torii gates. According to travel guides, the goshuin for both shrines are given at Gojoten Shrine.
A walking route
All of these places are within walking distance of each other. One simple order is to start at the Kaneiji halls and Ueno Toshogu at the top of the park, walk down to Shinobazu Pond for Bentendo and Gojoten Shrine, then cross to Higashi-Ueno for Shitaya Shrine, about a 6-minute walk from JR Ueno Station.
Allow about two hours at a relaxed pace, longer if there is a line at an office.
- Kiyomizu Kannon-do
- Ueno Toshogu
- Shinobazu Bentendo
- Gojoten Shrine and Hanazono Inari
- Shitaya Shrine
Shitaya Shrine, by our class venue
Shitaya Shrine in Higashi-Ueno is said to have been founded in 730 and is a 2-minute walk from Inaricho Station. According to a guide based on the shrine's information, it offers two goshuin, one for Shitaya Shrine and one for Ryuei Inari Shrine, which alternate by month, and the shrine office takes inquiries from 9:00 to 16:00.
Our calligraphy classes are held in Shitaya Jinja Kaikan, the shrine's hall. Goshuin are written quickly in a flowing brush style, and many visitors who collect them want to try the brush themselves. The beginner class is 60 minutes, guided in English, and you take your finished piece home.