Goshuin Atlas
The ultimate iOS app for cultural travel in Japan. Discover temples and shrines, explore pilgrimages, and track your goshuin collection.
May 2025 - Presentin-progress
Overview
Goshuin Atlas is a comprehensive iOS app designed to help travelers discover, navigate, and collect goshuin (sacred stamps) from Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines across Japan. The app combines cultural education with practical travel tools to enhance the spiritual journey of exploring Japan's sacred heritage.
What is Goshuin?
Goshuin (εΎ‘ζ±ε°) are sacred stamps or seals collected from temples and shrines in Japan. Each goshuin is hand-drawn by temple staff and typically includes:
- The temple or shrine name in beautiful calligraphy
- The date of your visit
- Vermillion stamps unique to that location
Collecting goshuin has been a spiritual practice for centuries, and modern travelers often collect them in special books called goshuincho as meaningful souvenirs of their journeys.
Problem Statement
When traveling in Japan and wanting to explore temples and shrines, I found that generic map apps like Google Maps weren't optimized for cultural discovery. Finding temples, understanding their history, tracking visits, and learning about goshuin traditions required juggling multiple resources. I wanted a focused tool that would make the experience more meaningful and organized.
Goals
- Create a dedicated temple and shrine finder for all 47 Japanese prefectures
- Provide rich cultural context including temple history, enshrined deities, and visiting hours
- Enable travelers to save favorites and track their goshuin collection
- Support offline access for areas with limited connectivity
- Offer pilgrimage route exploration (Saigoku 33 Kannon, Shikoku 88, etc.)
Key Features
- Discover Sacred Places: Browse temples and shrines across Japan with detailed information and directions
- Interactive Map: Pan, zoom, and explore with a powerful map view
- Pilgrimage Routes: Plan journeys along famous pilgrimage routes
- Smart Search: Find temples by name, location, deity, prefecture, or pilgrimage route
- Offline Support: Core features work without internet connection
- Nearby Discovery: Find temples near your current location with distance and directions
- Privacy First: No account required, all data stored locally on your device
Technical Approach
Built entirely with SwiftUI and SwiftData for a native iOS experience. The app prioritizes:
- Privacy: All data stored locally on device using Apple's secure SwiftData framework
- Performance: Smooth interactions even with thousands of temple entries
- Offline-first: Previously viewed areas and saved data remain accessible without connection
- Native Feel: Follows Apple's Human Interface Guidelines for intuitive navigation
App Store Reception
The app is live on the App Store and has been well-received by travelers and Japan enthusiasts. The focus on privacy (no account required, local data storage) and offline functionality has resonated with users who travel to areas with limited connectivity.
Learnings
This project pushed me beyond web development into native iOS. Key learnings included:
- SwiftUI's declarative approach and how it differs from React
- Managing offline data and sync strategies
- App Store submission process and guidelines
- Balancing feature depth with simplicity for casual users
- Working with MapKit for location-based features
What's Next
- iPad and Mac support: Universal app experience
- Vision OS adaptation: Explore temples in spatial computing
- Pro tier: iCloud sync across devices and data export
- Expanded database: More temples and community contributions
- Widget support: Quick access to nearby temples