Comparison

Castle Journal vs Goshuin Map

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Castle Journal

Features
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Make castle touring more fun and convenient! Castle Journal is a castle visit tracking app that lets you record and organize, and review your castle visits across different regions. Key Features: - View castles from various regions — including Japan’s 100 Castles – Series 1 (日本100名城) and Japan’s 100 Castles – Series 2 (続日本100名城) — displayed on a map and in a list. - Access detailed information for each castle, such as castle number, name, and location. - Easily record visit dates, tags and personal notes. - Preserve your memories by adding photos and marking favorite castles. - Review your visit history and progress using built-in filtering, sorting, and grouping tools. Recommended for: - Castle exploration and sightseeing enthusiasts - Those participating in the Japan’s 100 Castles Stamp Rally - Anyone interested in history and culture Plan your next castle trip or record memories from past visits with Castle Journal. Keep track of your castle journey, one visit at a time. Upcoming Updates: - Ongoing usability improvements We’re continuously working to make the app even better.

About

Goshuin Map

Discover and collect temple stamps across Japan with a map-based interface. Save your finds digitally, organize them in a virtual book, and share your journey. The app works offline and offers exclusive digital stamps.

Highlights
  • Map-based discovery of shrines and temples
  • Digital collection and organization of stamps
  • Virtual 'book view' for collections
  • Offline access to saved collections
  • Shareable links for favorite stamps
  • App-exclusive digital stamps
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Find goshuin on a map. Collect them. Share the journey. Goshuin Map helps you discover goshuin — the beautiful calligraphy seals offered at shrines and temples across Japan — right on a map. Find what's around you or explore your next destination, then keep every stamp you receive in your own digital goshuin book. ■ Explore on a map Over 60,000 shrines and temples across Japan. A fast, smooth map lets you find nearby spots and available goshuin at a glance — no lists to scroll through, just look at the map and go. ■ Collect & record Save each goshuin with a photo and date. Browse your collection as a list, or flip through it like a real accordion-fold goshuin book with the "book view" and watch your collection grow. ■ Share Share your favorite goshuin with friends via a single link. ■ Works offline Once saved, your goshuin book is viewable even without a signal — handy at mountain temples where reception is weak. ■ Digital goshuin Receive app-exclusive digital goshuin at Man'en-gu (萬縁宮), our official virtual shrine. — What we care about — - Light and fast, with a simple map-first design - No ads. A quiet space to enjoy your goshuin - Free to use New to goshuin? They are hand-stamped seals with elegant calligraphy that shrines and temples offer to visitors as a record of their visit (usually 300–500 yen). Collecting them is one of the most rewarding ways to explore Japan. Terms of Use / EULA: https://goshuinmap.jp/legal/terms

Screenshots

Castle Journal3 screens
Goshuin Map4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Castle Journal at none against Goshuin Map's 4. Goshuin Map's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.5). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Goshuin Map sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Castle Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Castle Journal ships an update weekly, Goshuin Map every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
Castle Journal versus Goshuin Map: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCastle JournalGoshuin Map
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 9 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB100 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNAOYA OZAWAPham Works

In-app purchases

None

Castle Journal

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Goshuin Map

Subscriptions2
  • プレミアムプラン(月額)$1.991 Month
  • プレミアムプラン(年額)$14.991 Year
One-time2
  • デジタル御朱印(500円)$2.99
  • プレミアムプラン(買い切り)$6.99

Questions

Is Castle Journal free?
Castle Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Goshuin Map free?
Goshuin Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Castle Journal or Goshuin Map have ads?
Castle Journal shows ads; Goshuin Map does not.
Which is updated more often, Castle Journal or Goshuin Map?
Castle Journal ships an update weekly, and Goshuin Map every 9 days. Most recently, Castle Journal was updated on September 18, 2026 and Goshuin Map on September 11, 2026.

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