A goshuincho (御朱印帳) is a calligraphy book for collecting seals from shrines and temples in Japan. Originally a souvenir, before I knew it the entries began to symbolize my life here. These are the stories behind each page as they narrate my memories.
In a devastating turn of events, I recently lost my book. Regardless, I will continue to write about the seals, albeit with a heavy heart. The next time an opportunity arises, however, I plan to replace the old book and start over.