[Date and Time] Friday, October 7, at 13:00～16:00[Visitors] Professors and students attending China-Japan Autophagia Conference
(10 Japanese and 26 Chinese)
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha) and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
[Language] English and Chinese
The weather was crisp and perfect for guiding. On the bus from Shonan Village to the Great Buddha, a KSGG member, Mr. H, started to explain about sightseeing spots in fluent English, using some large-sized photographs. After we arrived at Kotokuin Temple, we explained about the Great Buddha briefly. After we went inside the Great Buddha, one Chinese professor bought a close replica of keisaku (Keisaku is the stick with which the priest hold and tap a meditator’s shoulder in order to check if a meditator is focusing on zazen) with Japanese language, “Konjo wo tatakinaosu” or “Whip your guts.” As he pretended to tap a university student on his shoulder, everyone warmed up. At this time, someone asked us about the differences between Shintoism and Buddhism, and Shinto deities. As Taoism is based on worship of nature, the Chinese professors easily understood our explanations. Then we went to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine by bus. The visitors experienced chozuya (purification water hut) and asked us of its purpose. Both Chinese and Japanese researchers asked about the sake barrels dedicated to the shrine. They were much interested not only in the meaning of chozuya but also in the inside of the barrels because they wondered if they contain real sake or not. When a young university girl student consulted omikuji (oracle), she found it an unlucky one. So she consulted another oracle at once. Her face became bright to get a lucky one, which was impressive. Our guiding was over without any trouble. We made farewells after we heard them say, “We could have a very good time.”
