About the Goshuin catalogue
A public reference database for goshuin, the calligraphy and vermillion seal records given at Japanese temples and shrines. Each record is designed to remain stable and citable.
What this database records
Each entry represents a distinct goshuin design issued by a specific temple or shrine. The database records its name, temple, type, season, visual details, and provenance independently of any one person’s collection. It provides a public reference layer over the wider atlas of temples.
Documenting what appears on a goshuin
Where reviewed detail is available, the “About this goshuin” section documents visible subjects and motifs—from animals, plants, natural elements, and architecture to sacred figures, symbols, crests, and traditional patterns. It can also record physical form, words and inscriptions, seals and readings, and the sources used to verify those details.
A controlled catalogue vocabulary makes the same element comparable across records. Documented elements may link to their marked region on the image and to other goshuin that use the same term.
Explore the visual elements reportPermanent, citable IDs
Every record has a stable record ID such as gsn-3ndftk3. IDs are opaque (they encode no meaning), non-sequential, and include a check character that catches typos. An ID is never reused or reassigned, so it is safe to cite, bookmark, or print. It will always resolve to the same record.
Verification and provenance
Records carry a verification tier so you can weigh how well-sourced each one is.
- Curator verified:
- reviewed and confirmed by the database editors.
- Temple confirmed:
- confirmed against the issuing temple or shrine.
- Community:
- corroborated by multiple community submissions.
- Unverified:
- recorded, but not yet independently checked.
- Details verified:
- beyond authenticity, a curator has additionally reviewed every catalogued element, inscription, and seal against the image itself.
If a record’s image or content changes, its details verification is automatically revoked until a curator reviews the new version.
Records are merged, never deleted
When two entries turn out to describe the same goshuin, they are merged rather than deleted, and every change is kept in the record’s revision history. The superseded ID keeps working. It permanently redirects to the surviving record, so a citation never breaks.
How to cite a record
Each record page gives a ready-to-copy citation in this form:
Goshuin catalogue. “Hydrangea”, Hase-dera (gsn-0zc1jp3). goshuin.com/en/goshuin/gsn-0zc1jp3
Coverage
The database currently holds 378 goshuin across 248 temples and shrines, of which 378 are verified. It grows as records are added and reviewed.