Non-native visitors may not have ever heard of goshuinchō 御朱印帳. Let's explain it for them --

Pilgrims who visit a series of shrines may carry with them a bound book of blank pages, about the same dimensions as a passport. They present this to one of the shrine maidens who will pass it along to the resident priest to obtain the shrine's ink-stamped seal. The priest is a trained calligrapher who will often add beautiful flourishes to the stamp. Every shrine's stamp is unique. Most are in red and black ink.

By collecting these stamps, the pilgrim recieves a blessing, and a memory of the visit.

Many shrines participate in this. Only a small donation is requested. Sometimes this can be done while you watch. Other times, especially when it's crowded, you may have to wait 20 or 30 minutes, during which time you can meander around the shrine property.

Thanks James, I'm delighted to hear that someone other than myself enjoys this activity.