Goshuin at Nachi Falls Begins with Preparing Your Book | How to Line Up the Three Seals of Nachisan After Worshipping the Sacred Waterfall

The goshuin at Nachi Falls is a little different from something you simply 'pick up' in front of the waterfall

Many people searching for 'Nachi Falls goshuin' might imagine receiving one right at the foot of the waterfall. But Nachi Falls is a place where the waterfall itself has long been enshrined as the deity. There is no grand shrine building here — the basic form of worship is simply to face the falls and press your palms together. The goshuin, too, is not a 'commemorative stamp of a sightseeing spot,' but something received as proof that you have worshipped.

The location and reception conditions for receiving a goshuin can change. The surest way is to check the on-site signage or notices at the shrine office. In this article, rather than focusing on where to find it, we'll focus on the preparations around your goshuin book that are worth getting in order before you receive one.

Decide first how you want to arrange your goshuin book

Around Nachisan, the shrine that enshrines the falls, Kumano Nachi Taisha, and the neighboring Seigantoji temple are all gathered close together — places connected to goshuin. What's easy to get confused about here is how to use your book.

Should shrines and temples share the same book?

Some people keep separate books for shrines and temples, while others combine them into one. Rather than one being correct, it comes down to how you'd like to look back on it later. If you're unsure, one option is to explain your situation when you receive the goshuin on-site and ask for advice.

Think about how to use the two-page spread

If you have an accordion-style book, what you use the first page for — and whether you have it written from the right or the left — will change the impression later. Deciding in advance, 'The seal of the falls goes on the very first page of my journey,' lets the flow of your trip remain in a single book.

Know the difference between direct writing and pre-written slips

Goshuin come in two forms: one written on the spot, and one received as a pre-prepared paper slip. In the case of a pre-written slip, you'll paste it into your book after returning home.

• It's reassuring to have glue or adhesive-backed mounting paper for pasting
• Carry the paper in a clear file or thin sleeve so it won't bend
• Keep it inside your backpack so it doesn't get wet from the waterfall's spray

The area around Nachi Falls is a place thick with the presence of water. Rather than hanging your book from your neck or carrying it in hand as you walk, it's safer to tuck it away for a while.

For the order of worship, 'falls first, seal after'

When receiving a goshuin becomes the goal, it's easy to hurry past the precious view of the falls. What we recommend is this order: first, stand quietly before the falls and press your palms together, then receive the seal. The very time spent gazing up at the waterfall deepens the meaning of the goshuin.

A small preparation checklist

• Goshuin book (one with a plastic cover is reassuring)
• A small wallet with coins
• A sleeve or clear file for pre-written slips
• A towel to wipe wet hands

The offering fee differs by location, so please check the on-site notices for the amount. Preparing plenty of coins in advance means you won't be caught flustered.

So you can remember, when you open it back home

A goshuin is something that brings back the air of your journey when you look at it later. On the page with the seal from Nachi Falls, along with the date, we also recommend jotting down a single line about the sound of water or the color of the sky that day. Just adding it in the margin turns a single seal from a mere record into your own memory of Kumano.

The preparations are only slight. The rest is simply to stand before the falls, slowly steady your breath, and press your palms together.

Image: 那智の滝 (via (公社)和歌山県観光連盟)