Activity Report

Guiding ATOS (YKC) Participants around Kamakura

2011-11-20T11:30:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Sunday, November 20, at 10:00~15:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Guests] 22 participants from 3 countries (14 from China, 5 from Indonesia, and 3 from Cambodia)
[Occupations] precision machinery, automobile, electricity, and construction industry
[Attendants] 13 KSGG members (including 1 observer)
[Languages] English, Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesian

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2011-11-19T11:28:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Saturday, November 19, at 11:00~16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Participants] 33 JICA participants from 16countries (8 from Vietnam, 5 from Myanmar, 4 from the Philippines, 3 from Thai, 2 from Sri Lanka, and 1 each from Laos, Ecuador, Columbia, Bolivia, Mozambique, Kenya, Palestine, Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco, and Uganda)
[Attendants] 18 KSGG members

Guiding Guests of Shonan Village around Kamakura

2011-11-16T11:25:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Wednesday, November 16, 13:30~18:00
[Guests] 24 professors of IT-related fields (including non-Japanese and Japanese)
[Spots] Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Language] English
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members

Welcoming Events for the Students of Semester at Sea

2011-11-14T11:15:00.004+09:00

The ship arrived at the Port of Yokohama, carrying about 700 students of the Semester at Sea conducted by the University of Virginia. It was an annual event. The welcoming events for the students included a tour at Engakuji Temple, Zen experience (silent meditation) at Chojyuji Temple, and home visit.

☆ A guided tour at Engakuji Temple and Zen experience at Chojyuji
[Date & Time] Monday, November 14, at 12:00~17:30
[Date & Time] Tuesday, November 15, at 12:00~17:30
[Spots] Aboard the ship of the Semester at Sea, Engakuji Temple, and Chojyuji Temple (in Kita-Kamakura)
[Guests] November 14: 20 (including the students of the Semester at Sea, and attending professors and parents)
[Guests] November 15: 27
[Attendants] November 14: 6 KSGG members
[Attendants] November 15: 6 KSGG members
[Language] English

☆ Home Visit Experience
[Date & Time] Monday, November 14, at 10:00~17:30
[Spots] Ms. H's house ~ Kotokuin Temple in Kamakura
[Guest] 1 male student of the Semester at Sea

Guiding an American Man around Kamakura

2011-11-05T11:06:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Saturday, November 5, at 8:30~13:30
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Jufukuji Temple, Genjiyama Park, Zeniaraibenten Shrine, Sasuke Inari Shrine, Daibutsu (Great Buddha) Hiking Trail, Kotokuin (Great Buddha), and Kamakura Station
[Visitor] An American man in his forties
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member

Toshiba Science Museum Tour

2011-11-01T11:03:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Tuesday, November 1, at 13:30~15:30
[Spots] Toshiba Science Museum
[Visitors] 8 foreigners from 6 countries, 1 from Myanmar, 1 from Germany, 1 from Mongolia, 1 from UK, 1 from New Zealand, and 3 from China
[Attendants] 28 KSGG members and 1 former KSGG member

Guiding a German Family around Yokohama

2011-10-26T11:00:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Wednesday, October 26, at 10:30~16:45
[Visitors] German Family including a 5-year-old boy
[Spots] Yokohama Park, Yokohama Hotel, Yokohama Kaigan Church, Port Opening　Square, Yokohama Archives of History, Kanagawa Prefectural Government (Tower of King), Yokohama Customs(Tower of Queen), Port Opening Memorial Hall (Tower of Jack), Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal, Sail Training Ship NIPPON MARU, Yokohama Port Museum, Landmark Tower, Cupnoodles Museum, and Yokohama Cosmo World
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

Guiding Foreign Students around Kamakura

2011-10-22T10:53:00.002+09:00

[Date & Time] Saturday, October 22, at 10:00~16:00
[Spots] Engakuji Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 53 foreign students and 4 children from 16 countries, with 20 from China, 10 from Korea, 4 each from France, Kyrgyzstan ( including 2 children) , and Tajikistan (including 2 children), 3 from Myanmar, 2 each from Iran and the USA, 1 each from Brazil, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Sweden, Taiwan, and Tanzania
[Universities] 33 students from Yokohama National University, 8 students from Keio University, 4 students from Kanagawa University, 1 student from Yokohama College of Commerce, 7 from other universities
[Attendants] 37 KSGG members, 2 people from Yokohama National University, and 3 observers

Inviting Ms. W, a Chinese Student, over to my Home

2011-10-20T10:51:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Thursday, October 20
[Visitor] Ms. W, a Chinese Student
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member

Walking with an American Man along a Hiking Trail in Kamakura

2011-10-19T10:37:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Wednesday, October 19, at 10:00~17:00
[Spots] Hiking Trail in Kamakura K-2 (Jyufukuji Temple, Genjiyama Park, Zeniaraibenten Shrine, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitor] An American man
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2011-10-15T22:03:00.003+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, October 15, at 11:00～16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 33 JICA participants from 8 countries (India, Myanmar, Honduras, Columbia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Bolivia, and China)
[Attendants] 22 KSGG members
[Language] English and Spanish

(Personal Visitor) Guiding a Canadian Honeymooner around Kamakura

2011-10-10T22:02:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Monday, October 10, at 12:00～17:00
[Spots] Kamakura K-1 Course: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] A Canadian couple
[Attendants] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

The 11th WakuWaku Festival at Kohoku International Exchange Lounge

2011-10-09T22:01:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, October 9, at 10:00～15:00
[Spot] Kohoku International Exchange Lounge
[Attendants] 10 KSGG members

Guiding Guests of Shonan Village around Kamakura

2011-10-07T22:00:00.001+09:00

[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

Guiding an American Woman around Kamakura―Fully Enjoying the Nature of Kamakura

2011-10-03T22:00:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Monday, October 3, at 9:30~16:00
[Visitor] An American Woman from Portland, Maine
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Jufukuji Temple, Genjiyama Park, Zeniarai Benten Shrine, Sasuke Inari Shrine, Hiking Course and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Komachi Dori, and Wakamiya Oji Street
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

Guiding Libyan Students around Kamakura and their Home Visit Experiences by the Request of JICE

2011-09-28T21:59:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Wednesday, September 28, at 10:00~17:00
[Spots] (Morning) Hokokuji Temple and Jomyoji Temple (trying powdered green tea) (Afternoon) home visit
[Visitors] 13 Libyan students
[Attendants] 3 KSGG members for guiding around Kamakura and 4 KSGG members for home visit

Guiding Guests of Shonan Village around Kamakura

2011-09-25T21:58:00.003+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, September 25, at 13:30～17:30
[Visitors] 26 researchers majoring in informatics at NII (National Institute of Informatics), with 19 researchers mainly from the U.K. and the U.S., and 7 Japanese researchers
[Spots] Shonan Village Center, Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
[Language] English

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Participants around Kamakura

2011-09-25T21:55:00.003+09:00

[Date & Time] Sunday, September 25, at 10:00~15:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 61 AOTS participants from 2 countries, with 49 from Indonesia and 12 from Malaysia
[Attendants] 16 KSGG members
[Languages] Japanese, English, Indonesian, Malay, and Chinese

Guiding Guests of Shonan Village around Kamakura (9/16)

2011-09-16T12:22:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, September 16, at 13:30~17:30
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple, Hasedera Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Visitors] 23 Researchers of information science, with 13 from the U.S., 8 from Great Britain, and 2 from Japan
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
[Language] English

Guiding Malaysians around Yokohama

2011-09-15T12:17:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Thursday, September 15, at 10:00~18:00
[Spots] Minato Mirai 21, Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal, and Sankeien Garden
[Visitors] Mr. R. C. (a Salesian Church priest in Kawasaki City), Mr. C. S. (Mr. R.C.'s uncle)
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

Guiding a Singaporean Man and an Indian Woman around Yokohama

2011-09-13T12:28:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Tuesday, September 13, at 9:00~16:00
[Spots] Kanagawa Prefectural Government Main Building, Yokohama Customs House, NYK HIKAWAMARU, Yokohama Archives of History, and Harbor View Park
[Visitors] Mr. L. M. (from Singapore), Ms. S. (from India)
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

The Report on the Volunteer Transportation Service from and to Haneda Airport

2011-09-12T12:19:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Monday, September 12 through Friday, September 16
[Spot] Arrival lobby at the international flight passenger terminal of Haneda Airport
[Attendants] 4 KSGG Members
[Language] English

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura and Enoshima Island

2011-09-11T12:12:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, September 11, at 11:00~18:00
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), and Enoshima Island
[Visitors] 56 JICA participants from 26 countries, with 8 from Brazil, 6 from Laos, 5 from Pakistan, 4 from the Philippines, 3 each from Liberia, Paraguay, and Ghana, 2 each from Micronesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh, and 1 each from Thailand, China, Mexico, Guatemala, Indonesia, Panama, Bolivia, Sierra Leone, Malaysia, Zambia, Malawi, Syria, Iraq, and India
[Attendants] 22 KSGG members, 6 Odawara・Hakone SGG members including the vice president, and 1 observer

Guiding Guests of Shonan Village around Kamakura (9/8)

2011-09-08T12:25:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Thursday, September 8, at 12:45～17:30
[Visitors] Participants of the meeting for the Far East area managers of U.S telecom industries (9 members including 4 Americans, 1 Singaporean, and 4 Japanese)
[Spots] The observation deck of Chojyagasaki, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, shopping around Komachi-Dori Street, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (The great Buddha)
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members

Attending the Preview of Cupnoodles Museum

2011-09-01T12:31:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Thursday, September 1, 10:00~12:30
[Participants] 8 KSGG members

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Participants around Kamakura

2011-08-28T12:03:00.002+09:00

[Date & Time] Sunday, August 28, at 10:00~15:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 27 AOTS participants from 3 countries, with 14 from China, 11 from Thailand, and 2 from India　
[Attendants] 21 KSGG members and 4 observers
[Languages] Chinese, Thai, English, and Japanese

Guiding a British man around Kamakura

2011-08-28T11:56:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Sunday, August 28, at 10:00~14:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitor] A British man, Mr. D. I.
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

Guiding an Icelandic Couple around Yokohama

2011-08-27T12:09:00.000+09:00

[Date & Time] Saturday, August 27, at 9:00~16:30
[Spots] Yamashita Park → Silk Museum → around Yokohama Station → Sakuragicho Station → the Landmark Tower Yokohama → Pacifico Yokohama
[Visitors] an Icelandic couple
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2011-08-06T22:20:00.007+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, August 6, at 11:00～16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)[Visitors] 18 participants from 11 countries, with 6 from Indonesia, 2 each from Vietnam and El Salvador, and 1 each from Tonga, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Iraq, the Philippines, Mongolia, Nepal, and Venezuela
[Attendants] 16 KSGG members and 5 observers: President and 4 members of Odawara Hakone SGG Club

I was encouraged by some participants wearing T shirts with “Gambaro or Hang in Nippon” or “Tokon or Fighting Spirit” printed in Chinese characters or a headband with Japan’s flag printed. Five out of six members from Indonesia were Muslims, and behaved themselves as usual, though they couldn’t drink even a drop of water during Ramadan for one month starting from August 1st. I heard three Muslims in my group were praying near the pond in the grounds of Hachimangu Shrine while other members of my group were eating lunch. They were impressed with the huge size of the great Kannon statue in Hasedera Temple and the Great Buddha in Kotokuin Temple. After the guided tour, they were so excited about a quiz show held in front of all the participants at the exit of Kotokuin Temple. I felt we should offer this kind of memorable and enjoyable events. I was pleased that many participants gave us their gratitude after the guiding.

☆ Hoping to Improve my Guiding Skills

We had two female Indonesians and two male Vietnamese in our group, accompanied by a member of Odawara Hakone SGG Club as an observer.

One of the Vietnamese participants gazed at Eleven-faced Kannon, being deeply impressed with it, and threw some coins seriously into the offering box when I was explaining about it at Hasedera Temple. His sincere attitude was extremely great. I felt as if Kannon might have given mercy or love to him at that moment, and I was so moved. Although I was assigned as leader of our group, I keenly felt I lack guiding skill. However, as everybody was patient and kind to me during the tour, I was somewhat relieved. At the same time, I realized that I have to make a lot of effort to improve my guiding skill.

Japanese Language Support in the Summer School of Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (IUC)

2011-07-25T22:33:00.002+09:00

[Date & Time] Monday, July 25
　　　Part I at 13:30～14:20: How to Use Honorific Expressions
　　　Part II at 14:30~15:20: Session for Exchanging Opinions
[Place] At Japanese Language Studies Center, Pacifico Yokohama・Yokohama International Cooperation Center 5F
[Attendants] 8 KSGG members

Eight members of KSGG helped the foreign students studying in the summer school with their Japanese by the request of IUC again this year. In Part One, 2 KSGG members, Mr. H and Mr. D, checked if the students used Japanese honorifics properly for about one hour. Following Part One, 7 students and 8 KSGG members, who were divided into three groups and exchanged lively opinions in Japanese about the topic, “The Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster.” Our support was received as well as it was last year. I am very glad to say that we are sure to have this kind of request next year, too.

☆[Part One]

[Attendants] 4 male students

After Mr. H and I from KSGG gave salutes to Professor A and Professor K at IUC, 4 students were divided into two groups. We had been requested to help them learn honorifics first. However, as we were advised to give the students comments on how they use courteous language while talking, the students and we introduced ourselves one another. Those students gave their self-introductions as follows: Mr. D majoring in Japanese literature studies on Saikaku Ihara; Mr. P majoring in Japanese literature studies on Anthology of Kokin Waka Poems and Saigyo; Mr. M majoring in anime is especially interested in storyboarding, layout, and directors; and Mt. T majoring in sociology studies on the situations of immigrants in the world. We were impressed by their ability to understand and speak pretty difficult Japanese. When I encouraged Mr. P to become a distinguished researcher like Professor Donald Keene, he said that he would do his best to become such a researcher. Since he could speak in almost perfect courteous language, I hardly needed to correct his Japanese.

☆[Part Two]

[Students in the Session for Exchanging Opinions] 7 students (6 students from IUC and another: 4 male students and 3 female students)

[Nationalities] American, Canadian, and Chinese

[Universities] Columbia University; University of California, Berkeley; Yale University; and McGill University

This time, we exchanged opinions about “The Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster.” Although this was a difficult topic to talk about, they could express what they wanted to say almost perfectly, even if they made some grammatical mistakes. They had a pretty good command of Japanese. Some students studying Japanese literature or Japanese history had come to Japan several times before. One student said, “I felt deeply sorry for the Great East Japan Earthquake. The earthquake struck me as a more distressful accident than the accidents that happened in any other country.” I asked if they were afraid about the influences of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident before they came to Japan. They said that they can trust the Japanese government because the Japanese never tell a lie and that they thought it was safe to come to Japan because Japanese people could lead ordinary lives. It seemed that they had good impressions on Japan and the Japanese, knowing that Japanese people never got panicky, being calm, and everyone tried to take a step back even when the Great East Japan Earthquake or the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster took place. They also thought that the Japanese keep their words and are kind. Their opinions were very interesting for me and gave me a lot to think about. I could spend quality time exchanging opinions with these students.

Guiding Students of Kanagawa University Japanese Language and Culture Program around Kamakura

2011-07-23T22:29:00.004+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, July 23, at 9:00～15:00
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), and Hasedera Temple
[Visitors] 12 foreign students from 6 countries, with 3 from Taiwan, 2 each from Italy, Russia, Brazil, and China, and 1 from Denmark, 18 students of Kanagawa University from 2 countries, with 6 from China and 12 from Japan, and 4 staff
[Attendants] 4 KSGG members

The visitors divided into three groups, listened to their group guide explain at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and drew an Omikuji, an oracle. As we had a plenty of time, we enjoyed shopping at Komachidori shopping street. Then we got on a bus and had lunch at a restaurant near Kotokuin Temple. We took a group photo of us in front of the Great Buddha as usual and walked to Hasedera Temple. In farewell, they were so happy to get a paper doll, a present made by our members, and headed for Hakone by bus. It seemed that they wanted to stay in Kamakura longer.

I was a little nervous as it was our first guiding for students of Kanagawa University. However, it turned out to be successful thanks to the serious and cooperative students, who had studied about Kamakura beforehand and asked us a lot of pointed questions. It was such a fruitful event that the foreign students could have a good cultural exchange with the Japanese students, too. I hope we will be able to have more events with students of Kanagawa University.

☆The Students who are Deeply Interested in Cultural Exchange

I was lost for words when Mr. S, who is in his doctor’s course, said, “You told us that Peace is brought to the place where Hase Kannon is placed. Why did big tsunami hit Japan many times?” It happened right after I told them at Kotokuin Temple that tsunami hit Japan many times in the 14th century. He seemed to ask that question as he remembered what I had said. I couldn’t find any answer to that question, but could only say to him who can speak fluent Japanese, “We can’t tell what will happen in our life.” We said good bye at a parking lot of Hasedera Temple and saw off the students heading for Hakone.

Japanese Supporting Group“Cruising around Port of Yokohama by Marine Shuttle”

2011-07-13T22:45:00.005+09:00

[Date and Time] Wednesday, July 13, at 13:30~14:30
[Participants] 125
Foreigners: 61 participants from 18 countries, with 24 from China, with 5 each from Nigeria, and Thailand, and 4 each from France, and Uzbekistan, and 3 each from Indonesia and Vietnam, and 2 each from Nepal and America, and 1 each from Costa Rica, Dominica, Germany, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Returnees from China: 21
Japanese: 1 Child
KSGG: 42 members

This time we enjoyed our first port cruising on Marine Shuttle (Gross weight 764 tons). We went on board at Yamashita Park under the burning Sun. It was cool and comfortable inside the cabin because of air-conditioning. The View Hall on the stem side was the most popular among us. Those who couldn’t take a seat there stayed in the restaurant on the 2nd floor of the stem side, or at the bar on the open deck of the 3rd floor though it was hot due to direct sunlight. KSGG members, foreign visitors, and returnees began to chat cheerfully and laugh here and there right after they got on the ship.

At 1:30 p.m., the Marine Shuttle left Yamashita Park slowly and sailed for harbor entrance via Pier Aka-Renga, passing under Yokohama Bay Bridge. A female guide began to explain about some facilities of Port of Yokohama: Bay Bridge, the Honmoku container wharf, a gantry crane, the Symbol Tower at the tip of the Honmoku Pier. The ship turned left at a quarantine point and sailed back to Yamashita Park, taking the same course as we did in our outward journey. After getting off the ship, we gathered under a tree, thanked to all the participants, announced our next event, and then said good-bye.

Report of Recording Kikimimi World, Walking Audio Tours

2011-07-12T22:06:00.013+09:00

The conversation between two persons, a tour host and a guest, as they walk around Yokohama is recorded and provided on the Web. This is a new project by Yokohama City. People who want to experience the audio tour can download the audio files of the conversations and import them into an IC recorder of their own. Then they can walk along the same way that is recorded, listening to the conversation. 4 KSGG members participated in the tours as a host. The 3 tours were recorded in July and its audio files will be uploaded on the Web on August 6.
http://www.kikimimi.org/

The 1st time
[Date & Time] Tuesday, July 5, at 14:00~15:30
[Spots] Nippon Maru → Sea Bass (Minato Mirai Pukarisanbashi Pier → Yamashita Park) → Hikawa Maru
[Recorders] Tour host : KSGG member, Mr.K Guest : Ms.G.M. from Algeria
[Participants from KSGG] Ms.M, who introduced the guest, and Ms.N
[Title] Port Town Yokohama -- Visiting Vintage Ships (in English)

We started our tour on the Sailing Ship Sail Nippon-maru at 14:00. First the self- introductions of the host and the guest were recorded. Walking around inside the ship until 14:30, Mr. K, the host, answered Mr. G.’s questions in English. Even after we got off the ship, they kept talking in order not to break the sound. We walked to Pukari Pier along the amusement park in Minato Mirai 21, where we took Seabass leaving for Yamashita Park at 14:50. We were relieved to go inside the ship with air conditioning from the pier in the sun. They still kept recording their conversation viewing the Port of Yokohama. We got to Yamashita Park at 15:05 via the Red Brick Warehouse. Immediately after we left the pier, we got on board Hikawa Maru. We were all impressed to receive a warm welcome from the captain. We saw its several facilities, deluxe cabins, and the wheelhouse. After we got off the ship at 15:30, the final greetings were recorded. Then the recording of the 90-minute tour ended. The host and the guest, who continued recording their conversation walking along the way with the microphones in their hand, took a breather over water. The project of recording was completed after their snapshots were taken for the Web.

The 2nd time
[Date & Time] Thursday, July 7, at 11:00~12:25
[Spot] Chinatown
[Recorders] Tour host : KSGG member, Mr.H Guest : Mr.S.B. from China
[Title] Strolling around Chinatown (in Chinese)

The 3rd time[Date & Time] Tuesday, July 12, at 10:30~12:00
[Spots] ZOU-NO-HANA Terrace → Yamashita Rinkosen Promenade → Harbor View Park
[Recorders] Tour host : KSGG member, Mr.D Guest : Mr.H.A.
[Title] The Birth of Yokohama – Walking along Yamashita Rinkosen Promenade (in English)

Guiding AOTS Practice Caregivers and JICA Participants to the Hiratsuka Star Festival

2011-07-10T21:49:00.003+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, July 10, at 10:30~14:30
[Spots] Street stands, Star Mall with bamboo decorations, and Japanese Culture Salon hosted by Hiratsuka International Exchange Salon Association (IES)
[Visitors] 54 AOTS (YKC) practice caregivers from Indonesia (43 women, 11 men) and 7 JICA participants with 2 from El Salvador and 1 each from Georgia, Cambodia, Colombia, Uruguay, and Chad
[Attendants] 32 KSGG members, 1 observer, 1 JICA staff, and 2 YKC staff
[Languages] English and Japanese

The 61st Hiratsuka Star Festival was held for wishing Japan’s recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. This year the festival was scaled down and the big events were canceled. Colorful decorations on bamboos were filled with the phrases such as “Reconstruction of the Tohoku region” and “Hang in there, Japan!”
Our guests were AOTS(YKC) practice caregivers from Indonesia, who had come to Japan only some days before and were supposed to study Japanese for the coming 6 months, and JICA participants. We were amazed at the gorgeous decorations and also enjoyed the performance of Hiratsuka-Daiko (traditional Japanese drumming) for a short time. We finally came to IES, where our guests could experience Japanese culture with a help of volunteers in Hiratsuka City one-on-one.
We could not do anything special for our guests, but they seemed to enjoy our hearty guiding even on a hot day. We hope they will remember this experience. We wish the participants will study hard and pass the national examination.
I’d like to say thank-you to many people who held IES this time. As there were not special events in this festival, the experience of Japanese culture at IES must have been the most pleasant for our guests.

Guiding JICA Participants

I started to guide the participants, thinking about how we should have our guests enjoy themselves, and also hoping to hear various things about their countries from them.
We had to push through the crowd on the street because it was so crowded. As I found it difficult to explain to all the participants in a group, I decided that we should see around freely. I asked a Chadian along to go with me and walked around the Star Mall, explaining about goldfish scooping game, Tanabata decorations, and the wishes written on strips of paper. Time passed as they took pictures and I answered their questions. Then we had lunch at a hamburger shop.
After all of us got together at the meeting place, we went to IES Salon, where the participants tried paper folding, cup and ball, and calligraphy. They had difficulty writing Chinese Kanji, but every one of them could finally write his unique Kanji characters. Also, the participants could make a paper crane and a paper samurai warrior helmet though they are difficult to make.
The participants said they felt happy with their experience of Japanese culture.

Guiding Australian Parent and Child (Mother and Daughter)

2011-07-07T23:03:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Thursday, July 7, at 9:00~15:45
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Hasedera Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.
[Visitors] Ms.S. & E.T
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

We met at “Kamakura Guest House” at 9:00 a.m. and went to see the Great Buddha close to it. I explained about the ornaments of the Tanabata festival (the Star Festival) decorated on the Second Torii (gateway) of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. I wrote some important points which they should be careful about during their stay in Japan.
1) Plug Style: As a plug used in Australia has three transformed legs, you cannot use it in Japan. You should get a plug adapter at an electric appliance store.
2) Credit cards such as Visa issued in your home country are not accepted in Japanese banks but are accepted in post offices.

Guiding AOTS Participants around Kamakura

2011-07-03T23:12:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, July 3, at 10:00~15:30
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 58 foreigners, with 13 countries, with 26 from Thailand, 7 from China, 6 from India, 4 each from Bangladesh and Sudan, 2 each from Nepal, Pakistan, and Vietnam, 1 each from the Philippines, Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, and Peru
[Jobs] Electronic products for vehicles, Engines for agricultural machines, Air conditioner, Metallic components, Automotive components, etc.
[Attendants] 17 KSGG members
[Languages] Thai, Chinese, English, Spanish, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Nepali

In a hot weather just like after the rainy season was over, we could guide AOTS participants after a long interval. As some participants experienced Japanese humid weather for the first time, they sometimes took a rest under a tree. Unluckily there were no special events at Maiden.
We could enjoy viewing hydrangeas at Hasedera Temple leisurely, because there were not so many people after their best season was over.
The Great Buddha was the most popular among the participants. They freely took a lot of pictures there. KSGG president gave a speech outside Kotokuin Temple and I felt happy and restorative to hear thank-you speeches by some participants and to see their smile with a hand-made paper doll made by KSGG members.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2011-07-03T23:08:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, July 3, at 12:00~17:30
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 10 participants from 8 countries, with 2 each from Myanmar and El Salvador, and 1 each from the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, Malawi, Guatemala, and Dominica
[Attendants] 17 KSGG members and 1 observer

Eighteen KSGG members guided JICA participants almost one-on-one because this time we had only 10 participants, almost half in number that we usually have. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine was much more beautiful than usual because its torii gateway and Maiden were decorated with ornaments for Tanabata or the Star Festival. Some KSGG members might have explained about the sad legend involving two stars, Orihime or Vega and Hikoboshi or Altair. According to the legend, they are allowed to meet only once a year on July 7th.
After lunch, we went to Hasedera Temple by Enoden train. Two Myanmanese in our group took off their shoes in front of the statue of Amitabha Tathagata and Hase Kannon and then prayed for a long time, getting down on their knees. I was impressed with the piety of visitors from a Buddhist country. Then we went to see the Great Buddha and we took group pictures of us all in front of it as usual.
Although it was hot in Kamakura, all the JICA participants seemed to have enjoyed and been satisfied with this tour. Later some KSGG members received thank-you emails from some participants.

Zazen Experience for Americans at Yokosuka Navy Base (CFAY or Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka)

2011-06-29T21:42:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Wednesday, June 29, at 12:30~17:00
[Place] Kenchoji Temple
[Visitors] 6 American Women
[Attendants] 3 KSGG members

This is our first project for American servicemen and their families to join the public zazen program for foreigners, which Kenchoji Temple holds four times in a year.
In a large room in Kenchoji Temple’s main hall, the Hojo, a monk told about zen, Kenchoji Temple itself, and zasen in English. Then he taught how to cross our legs, how to breathe, and what we should look at while meditating. Although the visitors seemed to have difficulty in crossing their legs, zazen started when they could manage to sit in the half lotus position. Fifteen minutes had passed in silence while we were concentrating on breathing, the priest checking our posture. After the first zasen was over, our visitors stretched their legs out. Shortly after the second zasen started, the sound of tapping mediator’s shoulder with keisaku was heard. (Keisaku is a stick with which a monk taps a meditator’s shoulder in order to check if a meditator is concentrating on zazen.) When a monk tapped my shoulder, I felt comfortable because I felt a muscle in my shoulder tensed. After the third zazen, we all, including our visitors who had received the Heart Sutra written in the Roman alphabet, chanted the Heart Sutra together. Then we were served powdered green tea and sweets in the reception room.
At the end of this project, we could have our visitors’ impressions about zazen such as “I have never imagined that zazen can calm myself” or “I am glad I could listen to the detailed explanations about Kamakura.”

Yukata Party (Learning How to Put on a Cotton Kimono)

2011-06-25T21:38:00.005+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, June 25, 13:00~16:00
[Spots] Yokomizo Residence in Yokohama
[Visitors] 33 foreigners from 17 countries, with 5 from Uzbekistan, 4 each from Japan and Indonesia, 3 from China, 2 each from the U.S., Algeria, Nigeria, and Myanmar, 1 each from the Philippines, Sweden, Korea, Mongolia, Germany, Egypt, Vietnam, Sudan, and England
[Attendants] 9 KSGG members

We KSGG members could dress our visitors in yukata or a cotton kimono neatly, because we had practiced how to have others put on yukata and a sash beforehand. Satisfied with themselves in yukata, the visitors took pictures each other. After everyone put on yukata, we listened to “Sakura” performed by an Algerian visitor and an Uzbekistan visitor, who had been taught how to play the koto or the Japanese zither by a KSGG member several times before their performance. The other visitors looked on them with respect. Then we all sang together accompanied by the koto. At the end of the party, the visitors introduced themselves and expressed their impressions of Yukata Party. Everyone seemed to be satisfied with their experience of Japanese culture. Thanks to the cooperation of Ms. N., Yokomizo Residence’s custodian, who had prepared yukata and sweets for us, the party ended on a high note.

◎ Impression of Ms. G from Algeria
We had a great time at KSGG’s annual Yukata party which was a nice opportunity to dress up in summer yukata and enjoy authentic Japanese music performed live using Kotos. Very nice Japanese ladies helped us getting dressed and we all sang sakura sakura that was played by koto. This event was held in a wonderful old Japanese house whose manager, a very kind lady, did everything to make us feel comfortable. Many thanks to her and all KSGG members.

Guiding an Australian Couple around Kamakura

2011-06-12T22:19:00.005+09:00

[Date & Time] Sunday, June 12, at 10:00~15:00
[Spots] Jufuku-ji Temple, Genjiyama Park, Zeniarai Benten Shrine, Sasuke Inari Shrine, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Hasedera Temple, and Yuzawaya (Fabric and Craft Store) in Yokohama
[Visitors] An Australian couple, Mr. & Mrs. G
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

This couple was the first private visitors not only for KSGG but also for me after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Although I was very nervous, I was relieved at once when they friendly patted my shoulder from behind while I was waiting for them at Kamakura Station.
The wife likes doing patchworks and asked me to take her to Yuzawaya, a large-scale fabric and craft store in Japan. I decided to cut our tour short and take them to the store as I fortunately knew where their Yokohama branch is.
They had left Tasmania on May 27th, traveled around from the Kyusyu Region through the Chugoku Region, and then got to Tokyo the day before. They loved traveling and this was their 2nd trip to Japan. They were talking like Japanese couples do. I had a warm feeling when I realized that affection between the partners is almost the same in all countries.
They were such good walkers that our tour went to schedule. They really enjoyed nature around Genjiyama Park, Zeniarai Benten Shrine, and Sasuke Inari Shrine. After visiting the Great Buddha and Hasedera Temple, we returned to Kamakura Station and headed for Yuzawaya’s branch store in Yokohama. The wife had wanted to buy nice Japanese fabric but she couldn’t any until then. So she really looked happy when she got there.
They were really a nice couple and I do hope they will take the third trip to Japan.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2011-06-12T22:16:00.003+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, June 12, at 11:00~17:30
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 24 participants from 22 countries, with 2 each from Colombia and Mongolia, and 1 each from Jamaica, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Zambia, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Indonesia, Rwanda, Brazil, Ukraine, Maldives, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, Serbia, and Nigeria
[Attendants] 23 KSGG members and 2 observers

As it was a pleasant weather during the rainy season, it was a perfect day for our visitors to enjoy sightseeing in Kamakura. It was the first time for the JICA participants to visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. They were impressed with its huge size and solemnity created by its long history. They were eagerly listening to our explanations of omamori or lucky charms, ema or votive picture tablets of horses, and omikuji or fortune slips, all of which they saw for the first time. After I had told them omikuji is a slip of paper which tells your fortune, some of them bought one. They were convinced what it said was quite true for themselves and enjoyed showing it to one another.
After lunch we went to Hasedera Temple by train, where hydrangeas were at their best. As one of our group members walked with a stick, I took her to an incense burner in the precincts. When I put the smoke on her leg, explaining its effect, she also rubbed her leg with the smoke and prayed with her hands put together. I also prayed that she would get well soon.
At Kotokuin Temple, all of them were very surprised to see how big the Great Buddha was and we took a group picture of us all as usual. When we said good-by in the train back and at Fujisawa Station, some of them offered their hands to me, saying “Thank you,” which made me feel how wonderful the guiding is. I really hope that more visitors will join our next tour around Kamakura.

Hiking to Rose Garden in Mukogaoka-Yuen and Nihon Minkaen (Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum) in Ikuta Ryokuchi Park, Kawasaki City

2011-05-21T05:31:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, May 21, at 10:00~15:00
[Spots] Rose Garden and Nihon Minkaen
[Visitors] 9 people and 1 child, with 3 from Myanmar, 2 from China, and 2, including a child, from Japan, and 1 each from Mongolia, Germany, and Korea
[Attendants] 19 KSGG members

Luckily, it was a perfect weather for hiking, as is called “Satsuki-bare” or early summer fine weather in Japan. Participants who numbered 29 in all, including 19 KSGG members, gathered at Mukogaoka-Yuen Station, Odakyu Line, at 10:00 a.m. In the Mukogaoka-Yuen Rose Garden, there are 4,700 roses which consist of 530 types of them. Many volunteers have been carefully taking care of these roses since 2002 when Kawasaki City took over the garden after Odakyu Electric Railway closed Mukogaoka-Yuen Amusement Park.

There are various kinds of roses including hybrid rose such as Princesse de Monaco and rambler such as Cocktail. Many people, who felt attracted to the various kinds of colorful roses, took the pictures of them here and there. Also, we had lunch together in a friendly atmosphere which is similar to that of a big family.

After lunch, we moved to Nihon Minkaen, an Open-Air Folk House Museum. Some visitors joined a tour guided by a Minkaen’s volunteer, while the others visited favorite private houses by themselves. Some settled themselves in a house with a rafter roof. Some felt relaxed, having Zenzai, a traditional Japanese sweet, at a restaurant in a Gashozukuri-style Yamashita House.

All of the visitors looked quite satisfied with this hiking. One foreign visitor said, “Thank you very much for guiding me around this beautiful rose garden. I could have a really good time.”

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura and Enoshima

2011-05-21T05:21:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, May 21, at 11:00~17:30
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), and Enoshima Island
[Visitors] 16 JICA participants from 10 countries, with 3 each from Thailand and Myanmar, 2 each from India and Ethiopia, 1 each from Georgia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Solomon, Rwanda, and Cambodia
[Attendants] 20 KSGG members and 2 observers

It had been fine and a little hot since morning. Our Kamakura tour for JICA participants had not been carried out after the Great East Japan Earthquake. We were so happy to resume it that all of our members appeared to guide them more enthusiastically.

We visited Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in the morning, where all of the participants were absorbed in taking pictures of a wedding ceremony held on the stage called Maiden. Then, in the afternoon, we went to Kotokuin Temple, where the Great Buddha impressed them with its solemnity and mercifulness. The participants from Buddhist countries chanted prayers to the Buddha.

Then we went to Enoshima Island on the Enoden train, and enjoyed looking for fancy souvenirs and having one of Enoshima’s specialties, grilled squids on skewers, there. Before saying good-by, we took a group photo of us in front of the torii gate. Tourists visiting Kamakura and Enoshima had been on the decrease after the earthquake, but they have recently been on the increase to make the places lively again. To our regret, however, foreign tourists are still only a few.

Tutor’s Final Report

2011-05-20T05:08:00.004+09:00

[Period] August 2005 through March 2011
[Student] Mr. L. V. I. from Peru
[Major] Risk management and environmental sciences (Ecology and preservation of forest) at Yokohama National University

Mr. L came to Japan to get an MA, but he advanced to a Ph.D. As he was aggressive, he joined in our KSGG activities, made many friends with our members, and was kind enough to support our activities, too. I took him to Kyoto and theaters to let him enjoy our traditional Japanese plays. Also, one of our KSGG members invited him to his house on a New Year holiday so that he could experience a real Japanese New Year.

As Mr. L is sober and a bit shy for a Latin young man, Mr. A, an Indonesian student I was tutoring at that time, helped him out like his good brother. Also, the three of us celebrated our birthdays, and went hiking in Kamakura and other places.

Mr. L was quite busy writing his thesis this March and, after the great earthquake, we could only confirm our safety. As he went back to his country in a hurry, I could not even have a farewell party for him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find a job in Japan, but I believe it was his best choice to go back to Peru where his family lives.

On his way back to his country, I could finally get in touch with him by email and receive his words of gratitude:“I would like to thank you very much for your help and guidance, without it, it would have been impossible for me to stand living in Japan for so long away from my people, my family and everything I know. Now I have to look for job in my country and hopefully start making some money because now I don’t have too much of it.”

Tutor’s Final Report-3 Impressed with his Wonderful Family

2011-03-31T09:51:00.000+09:00

[Period] November 2006 through March 2011 (Support for their daily life when needed)
[Student] Ms. R from Jordan

Ms. R’s husband, Mr. I, was to begin to work for a Japanese company from April and her family was to move to Hino City in Tokyo. So we KSGG members, including Mr. D and Mr. U, who helped out Mrs. R’s husband, Mr. H. 1 and Mr. & Mrs. H. 2, who helped out Ms. R, held a farewell party for Ms. R’s family of 4.
Ms. R, who came to Japan later as wife of Mr. I, who had studied about robots at Yokohama National University, seemed to have had difficulty with big cultural differences at first.
During the four and a half years since I first met her, however, she gave birth to two cute girls, who have grown very well, and they have became a really wonderful family, which impressed all of us.

Tutor’s Final Report-2 May the Young Couple’s Future be a Bright One!

2011-03-31T09:47:00.001+09:00

[Period] June 2010 through March 2011, a few times a month at Kanagawa Volunteer Center
[Student] Mrs. M. I. from Korea

She has been in Japan for about two years. However, as she can’t go shopping alone, she hopes to speak Japanese better. So I gave her lessons mainly in Japanese conversation. We enjoyed chatting about child raising, cooking, movies, TV dramas, Japanese annual events, and so on, which was very useful to increase her vocabulary. I also learned a lot from her about Korea, which was beneficial to me, too. Also, as I told her to keep a diary in Japanese and corrected it each time, she has very much improved in writing Japanese, through which she must have gained some confidence. Also, she studied hiragana, the Japanese cursive syllabary, on her own, whose handwriting is really good.
She and her husband decided to go back to Korea earlier than they had planned to, because of social disorder in Japan after the March 11 big earthquake. As they were caught up in chaos right before they tried to return to their country, I am afraid that they must have felt quite helpless. I feel very sorry for having done nothing but just worrying about them. I really wish the couple a peaceful life and a bright future in Korea.
(The photo shows Mrs. M. I. and her two-year old daughter at a Korean restaurant.)

Tutor’s Final Report-1 May his Future be a Bright One!

2011-03-31T09:41:00.000+09:00

[Period] February 2009 through March 2011
[Student] Mr. K. S. from Korea, a student majoring in metal engineering at Yokohama National University

I helped him out with his study of Japanese and his daily life a few times a month. As he had already spoken Japanese quite well when I first met him, we had a free conversation about various current topics without using any textbook. I only pointed out from time to time some of his delicate Japanese wordings. Also, I corrected wrong phrases in his email and, occasionally, gave him some lessons outside having a drink with him, and having a meal with him and my family.
As he had passed through his doctoral course, he was expected to receive his diploma at the March 23 graduation ceremony as a valedictorian of the Engineering Department, which would have been a quite happy memorable event to him. However, he had to return to his country with a rush on March 20, right before the ceremony, for his living anxiety and inconvenience of life that had been caused by the big earthquake. It was decided that he would work for a research institute in his country as he had hoped to. He is a very polite and attentive young man from a Confucian country. I also learned a lot from him. I do hope that his future will be a very bright one (Incidentally, the graduation ceremony was cancelled).
(The photo shows his farewell party with my family including my eldest son’s. He also studied abroad and has a two-year-old son like Mr. K.)

Guiding Japanese-Americans around Kamakura—Reunion has been promised

2011-03-08T22:05:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Tuesday, March 8, at 10:30~15:45
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 2 Japanese-Americans
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

The visitors came from Hawaii and had stayed here in Japan for two weeks. They like outdoor activities, especially running and cycling. I was surprised to hear that both of them had joined in Tokyo Marathon 2011, running the entire course in 4 hours something. When I showed them a postcard of cherry blossoms in full bloom along Dan-Kazura walkway, they said, “We would like to come to this place again when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.” Also, in front of dedicated sake barrels, they said, “We saw wine barrels offered from France at Meiji Shrine.” At Hasedera Temple, one of them said, pointing at Mitsumata, “This is a paper tree.” The view from its height full of hydrangeas was wonderful and they looked happy to see some surfers sporting on the waves. At Kotokuin Temple they seemed to be amazed at the huge size of the Great Buddha. When they entered its inside, it appeared that they could see how it was casted. She bought an omamori, or a lucky charm, for her father, wishing for his good health. They left Narita the next day, on March 9th, for their country. To my great pleasure, I got an email from them inquiring after my family in the Great East Japan Earthquake. In no time I sent a reply telling them my thanks and the safety of my family.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2011-03-05T21:46:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, March 5, at 11:00~16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 18 JICA participants from 10 countries, with 8 from Vietnam, 2 from China, 1 each from Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritius, Cote d’Ivoire, Thailand, Cameroon, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, and 2 attendants from JICA office　
[Attendants] 22 KSGG members and 5 observers

On the way from Fujisawa to Kamakura by Enoden, all the participants were fascinated with beautiful Mt. Fuji covered with snow and were absorbed in taking pictures of it.
At Kamakura, we took them to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. A male Tunisian participant said, “This is a beautiful shrine.” I hear that the peace has been disturbed in his country because President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali got out of the country due to the nationwide protests which call for his resignation. I could feel some anxiety in his talk. In the afternoon we guided them around Hasedera Temple and Kotokuin Temple. All the participants looked moved by Hasedera Temple and its Hase Kannon, and the magnificence of the Great Buddha. At the end of this tour, we took a picture of us all against the background of the Great Buddha and said good-bye to them.

Guiding Shonan Village Center’s Guests around Kamakura

2011-03-04T22:24:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, March 4, at 9:00~17:00
[Spots] Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Engakuji Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Visitors] 18 Buddhism group members, with 10 from the U.S., 3 each from England and China, and 2 from Japan
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members

Luckily, it was a nice day and we could see very beautiful Mt. Fuji covered with snow against the blue sky. The guests, who were in their 40’s through 60’s, were mostly　professors specializing in Buddhism, creating a calm atmosphere, and many of them could understand Japanese. At Hasedera Temple and Engakuji Temple, we were　asked for the first time to translate what the priest said. As his talk, which was not at all simple, was put into easy English by the other member, they were very much pleased. Also, they felt relaxed as it was a weekday and there were a few tourists at those temples. At Engakuji Temple, we were allowed to enter its Shariden that enshrines the ashes of Shakamuni, which we cannot normally get in. In addition, we were surprised that its chief priest kindly served us powdered green tea and confectionery in person. The guests were very happy with their precious experience, though they had not been accustomed to sitting on their heels. Our tour was through at 5 o’clock with a visit to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. We said farewell on the bus, and it was happy for me to be given a smile and a clap in appreciation. I could learn a lot from this tour including the fact that many people in the U.S. were deeply related with Buddhism and how difficult it was for me to interpret.

Guiding Shonan Village Center’s the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Workshop Participants around Kamakura

2011-02-25T22:13:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, February 25, at 14:30~18:00
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha) and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Visitors] 24 cancer researchers for USA-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Workshop, with 15 from Japan and 9 from other countries such as the U.S., Sweden, etc
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members

When I heard the participants were cancer researchers, I first assumed they must be very literary. Contrary to my expectation, they were actually so frank and friendly that I could guide three women researchers quite comfortably with the other member of ours. An American researcher said in front of the Great Buddha, “If it stays there in the open, I’m afraid that the bronze will be corroded away. It should be housed for conservation.” I was surprised by her remark, for I had long been used to seeing it in the open air. Looking back at my day as a guide, I could have a very pleasant day in fine and warm weather, though it had taken time to do a lot of paper work for explanation on the bus.

Guiding Members of Academic Conference of NII (National Institute of Informatics) around Kamakura

2011-02-16T23:52:00.006+09:00

[Date and Time] Wednesday, February 16, at 13:00~17:30
[Visitors] 37 members of Academic Conference of NII (including Japanese)
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple, Hasedera Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
[Language] English

Our tour bus left Shonan Village Center 15 minutes behind schedule. I explained on the bus Kotokuin Temple and Hasedera Temple we would visit. We could visit those places on schedule. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, after I explained about it, we went to a café I had reserved in advance. I had planned to explain more about Hachimangu Shrine on the way back, but, after having a rest at the café, they looked tired and went back to the bus not in a group but by twos and threes. Personally, I thought that we should have had a margin of time there, for our orders were not served at the same time and we could not have the check at once.
In spite of those unexpected things, I could finish the tour safe and sound.

Kanazawa Waste Recycling Incineration Plant, Yokohama

2011-02-15T23:42:00.004+09:00

[Date and Time] Tuesday, February 15, at 13:00～16:30
[Visitors] 17 foreign participants (including 2 children) from 8 countries, with 6 from China, 5 from Indonesia (including 2 children), 1 each from Korea, Costa Rica, Iran, Myanmar, Algeria, and Uzbekistan
[Attendants] 24 KSGG members and 1 personal participant

KSGG does various activities for foreign visitors every year, such as introducing them to Japanese culture, visiting plants and factories engaging in state-of-the-art technology, and so forth. This time, we visited a waste recycling type of incineration plant in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama. Their slogan is: A transition from "disposal" to "use" of refuse. This is a sophisticated new plant that launched out its operation in 2001 to treat burnable waste.
We had snow more than 5 centimeters deep the day before, but when we visited the plant, the snow had all gone and it was a very fine day. Happily, the tour of this plant began under the blue sky with a 20-minute video presentation of the city’s waste treatment problem and the outline of the plant. One of the foreign visitors said, “The tour was very fruitful and interesting.”

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Trainees around Kamakura

2011-02-13T23:33:00.004+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, February 13, at 10:00~15:50
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple　(Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 37 AOTS trainees from 4 countries, with 11 from Indonesia, 9 each from the Philippines and Viet Nam, Cambodia, and 8 from Thailand
[Attendants] 12 KSGG members and 2 observers
[Languages] English, Japanese, Thai, and Bahasa Indonesia

Most of the trainees came to Japan for the first time and thus everything seemed to be new to them. When I said to a trainee who was by the Great Buddha, “How do the Great Buddha’s eyes look?” she said, “They are closed.” I took her to the front of the Great Buddha and said, “They are open and staring at you.” We realized that the Great Buddha used to be housed and was gazing upon the people praying in front of him.
The trainees who are from different religion and culture were taken on a tour of temples and shrines in Kamakura. At the end of their tour, everyone expressed thanks in Japanese or in his or her native language.

Guiding a Group of Vietnamese

Since all the nine members of Vietnamese I guided study Japanese, they asked various questions in Japanese. The most impressive one from a male trainee was quite simple. When we went to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, he said, “Which is more in number in Japan, a shrine or a temple?” Quite simple as it was, I was stuck by his question. I said, “The number of temples is overwhelmingly more than that of shrines in Kamakura, but on a country-wide basis, it might be about the same from the religious viewpoint of the Japanese,” which could satisfy him. When a lot of people in the world choose to study English, the group of Vietnamese I guided has dared to study Japanese. I guided them today hoping that, for that matter, my effort will help them study Japanese a little as it may.

Guiding American Women around Kamakura on a Snowy Day

2011-02-11T23:50:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, February 11, at 10:00~15:00
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Komachi Dori Street, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] American Women
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

American twin sisters came to Japan with one of their daughters celebrating their 60th birthday anniversary and stayed for 10 days in Tokyo and Osaka. First, I met them at Kamakura Station at 10 o’clock, and headed for Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine through Dankazura, or a raised walkway. As it was the Commemoration of Founding of Japan, a ceremony was going on at its main shrine, and they were interested in the traditional music and kimono the players were wearing.
At Komachi Dori Street, they tried to have Japanese foods, such as rice crackers, sweet beans and pickles. They seemed to have liked them. For lunch, we went to an izakaya, or a tavern, by their request, to have yakitori, or grilled chickens, and sake.
When they saw the Great Buddha, which they had hoped to see more than anything else, they were surprised and impressed by its size. They took a lot of pictures of it against the backdrop of the beautiful mountains dusted with snow.
As it was bad weather, we skipped Hasedera Temple and went straight back to Kamakura Station. I said good-by to them there, wishing that this tour would be a good memory for them in spite of the coldest snowy weather.

Guiding Passengers on a Cruise around Kamakura and Yokohama--A Happy Day Full of Smiles

2011-02-11T23:47:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, February 11, at 8:30～15:40
[Visitors] An English couple
[Spots] Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal, Yokohama Station, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Kaburaki Kiyokata Museum, Komachi Dori Street, Underground ShoppingArcades and Department Stores near Yokohama Station, and the Shuttle Bus Stop near Yokohama Station
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

On a chilly snowy day, I guided an English couple, who were passengers of Artemis, a ship on a cruise. Considering their old age, I avoided tight schedule. We had early lunch at a Japanese restaurant after visiting the Great Buddha capped with snow. They seemed to be fully satisfied with our traditional Japanese cuisine, because it had been carefully prepared in terms of not only taste but also looks. Afterward, we strolled Komachi Dori Street, and visited Kaburaki Kiyokata Museum to appreciate the paintings of beauty there.
We went back to Yokohama Station a little earlier to enjoy window-shopping, and had green tea and sweet bean jelly with chestnut at a Japanese-style café. They were interested in the way we drink and eat them. I saw the couple off at a bus stop of the shuttle bus for Osanbashi Pier near the east exit of Yokohama Station.
We had bad weather and worried about it at first, but we enjoyed eating delicious dishes and chatting to make our tour end with a lot of smiles.

Guiding Cruise Passengers around Kamakura--An impressive Tour around Kamakura on a Snowy Day

2011-02-11T23:45:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, February 11, at 8:00～15:00
[Visitors] A Couple from U.S.A
[Spots] 　Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal, Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

The couple from New York made their first visit to Japan. They arrived at the Port of Yokohama on a luxury passenger ship. We exchanged greetings as if we were old acquaintances thanks to our e-mails and photos we had exchanged in advance.
Luckily, as his wife was given a poncho at Hasedera Temple, it was quite helpful for her protection against cold. There were few visitors at the temple, and the couple seemed to like the atmosphere, beautiful flowers, and the garden of the temple. We visited Kotokuin Temple next. They were moved by the magnificence of the Great Buddha. Then we went to Kamakura Station by bus, and we walked around the precincts of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. For lunch, we had Japanese food, which they seemed to be fond of. We had planned to visit Sankeien Garden in the afternoon, but we gave it up because of heavy snow. Instead, we strolled Komachi Dori Street toward Kamakura Station, changed trains, and reached Osanbashi Pier. Since they had wanted to visit the places where they could see part of local people’s daily life, the public trains and buses were apparently interesting. Talking about the tour of the day at the lobby of Osanbashi Pier, they said, smiling, “Our tour of Kamakura in the heavy snow will always remain in our memory.”

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2011-02-05T23:23:00.003+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, February 5, at 11:00~16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 41 participants from 25 countries, with 4 each from Brazil and Argentina, 3 each from the Philippines, Peru, and Zambia, 2 each from Laos, Nicaragua, Tanzania, and Uganda, 1 each from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Lebanon, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile, Morocco, Mozambique, Mali, Kyrgyz, Tunisia, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, and Viet Nam
[Attendants] 33 KSGG members and 2 observers

Unfortunately, we could not see Mt. Fuji on the way from Fujisawa to Kamakura by Enoden (train). Instead, we could see beautiful Enoshima Island. Participants from Latin America yelled with delight, taking a lot of pictures of it. It could be their splendid natural disposition to yell with joy, which is foreign to our nature. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, when a participant said, “How wonderful! Is this a temple?” I said, “It’s a shrine.” He was so surprised at it and stared at the Shrine. In the afternoon, at Hasedera Temple, he was fascinated by its beautiful wooden statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, and said, “Was it really made of wood? It is unbelievable.” At the end of the tour, we took a group picture of ours against the background of the Great Buddha. We had the first male participant from Mali in West Africa this time.

Guiding Shonan Village Center SNTT International Conference Participants around Kamakura

2011-02-02T23:53:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Wednesday, February 2, at 13:00~17:00
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple, Hasedera Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Visitors] 49 Participants from 20 countries of International Conference for the Society of Non-Traditional Technology
[Attendants] 4 KSGG members
[Language] English

We paired up and guided participants divided into 2 groups. In my group, Mr. S gave an explanation at every site, while I supported our group by having a chat with them.
On the bus, we talked about their nationalities and an episode that President Obama likes a tea-flavored ice cream. Then we got to Kotokuin Temple. They were busy taking photos against the background of the Great Buddha. And then we headed for Hasedera Temple on foot instead of by bus, because all of them hoped to walk as they had kept sitting over 10 hours a day studying and meeting during the conference.
At Hasedera Temple, they were interested in our custom, which they don't have in their Christian culture, that parents dedicate a stone statue of Jizo, or a Mahayana Buddhist Bodhisattva, to protect their unborn baby and people pray to God to protect them from evil.
At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, after giving their prayers at the Main Shrine, they wrote their wishes and the names of their family on ema, or a votive tablet, to pray for good health and safety of their family. Then I thought that everyone makes the same wish whether in the East or in the West. I was pleased to hear that they had had a good time.

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Trainees around Kamakura

2011-01-23T23:30:00.005+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, January 23, at 10:00~15:45
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple　(Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 23 AOTS trainees from 13 countries, with 8 from India, 3 from Cambodia, 2 from Thailand, 1 each from Mongolia, China, the Philippines, Laos, Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Brazil
[Attendants] 11 KSGG members and 3 observers
[Languages] English, Chinese, and Portuguese

It was a calm and warm day for a lot of parents to visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine to pray for healthy growth and happiness of their new-born babies. The trunk’s root—as if being still alive―of the giant ginkgo tree was exhibited at the shrine. This tree fell over in the typhoon which hit Japan in March, 2010. At Hasedera Temple, we could refresh ourselves as we took the upward slope with red, white, and yellow Japanese plum blossoms at their best. One trainee from Mumbai, India, showed a great interest in the Great Buddha, he was engaged in rocket industry, and went over both the outside and inside of it after I explained about it. As one KSGG member could speak Portuguese, a Brazilian trainee must have been relaxed. Also, as usual, Japanese paper dolls made by KSGG members brought a smile on every trainee.

We were given Warm Heart with Present

Five female members from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia I guided this time were interested in Japanese culture and listened carefully to my explanations. They were lively and exchanged information smiling all the time as they walked. Everyone was family-minded: one offered an ema, or a votive tablet, for the health and happiness of her family; another bought an omamori, or a lucky charm for her husband; another chose souvenirs for her parents and children. They are away from their countries and working hard here in Japan. I really feel like supporting them.
As Ms. S from Cambodia seemed to have a cold and looked painful at times, I felt for her. However, I was relieved when she said, “It was a good thing that I dared to take part in this tour. I really enjoyed it.” Ms. S entrusted me with a present later, asking me to thank KSGG members for their favor. It was a picture of solemn Angkor Wat, which will be treasured up by KSGG as one of memories of our guiding AOTS trainees. We were given warm heart with a present.

Email from Ms. S

Dear E.san,
I arrived Cambodia safe and sound. I do like Japan and the people there.
All memories in Kamakura will last in my heart and soul and I don't forget
your kindness. Sure, I will look for opportunity to see you again.
Thanks for going to YKC to collect my stuffs. I'm pleased to hear that you like my souvenir. And hope others will do so.
The cover of business card holder made of silk, Khmer traditional silk　that we normally wear for special occasion.
For the painting, it is our Angkor Wat Temple. Please come to visit Cambodia and see our great Angkor, one of the World Heritage.　Please keep in touch with me.
Best Regards,
S.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2011-01-15T11:38:00.004+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, January 15, at 11:00~16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 33 JICA participants from 14 countries, with 5 each from Afghanistan and Brazil, 3 each from China and Vietnam, 2 each from Peru, Paraguay, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria, and the Philippines, and 1 each from Thailand, India, and Panama
[Attendants] 26 KSGG members and 10 observers The first tour of JICA participants around Kamakura this year was held on a fine, but very cold day. The participants who came from warm, winter-free countries were surprised at the cold of winter, but looked very cheerful. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, some of them had a chat with a young couple, cradling a newborn baby of theirs in their arms. At Hasedera Temple in the afternoon, some participants from a Buddhist country, who were fascinated with the beauty of Hase Kannon, the goddess of mercy, chanted a prayer to the Kannon. Looking at Japanese apricot blossoms that had begun to bloom around the pond in early spring, they said, smiling, “Those are the blossoms telling the coming of spring, aren’t they? Among the participants, there was a male Brazilian Sansei, or third-generation Japanese Brazilian, who told us that his parents are second-generation Japanese Brazilians. He told us that his father was from Aichi Prefecture and his mother was from Ibaraki Prefecture, and that, as a child, he had heard a lot about Japan from his parents. He said that he had been to their hometowns several times. At the end of the tour, we visited Kotokuin Temple and took a picture of us all against the background of Great Buddha. In this way we finished guiding the participants around Kamakura; it was a pleasant day for me, too.
A Cold Sweat and Nerves for the Next Chance
We got on Enoden at Fujisawa and, as we went by Koshigoe station, we could see the extensive scene of Sagami Bay through the train windows. The sunlight was playing on its surface and ships and sailboats far in the distance were silhouetted against the sky in the still of the morning. Unluckily, we couldn’t see Mt. Fuji, but I hoped that the JICA participants would surely enjoy its beautiful scenery instead. Our group guided 7 participants from Pakistan and Afghanistan. I thought what a nerve it is to guide foreign visitors, because I had never used English in business. Yet I tried to explain various things around us and received good reactions from them. Also, I was in a cold sweat when they asked me unexpected questions like “Where can I see a ninja?” and “Can I take a Japanese sword home as a souvenir from Japan?” Fortunately, our group leader suggested that each of us explain different spots, and I covered the Big Gingko Tree, the symbol of Kamakura. I wondered if I could get across its sad story to them that it had fallen down in the strong wind last March, but was revived in the form of its shoots by the zeal of Kamakura citizens. On the way back, I went to Sagami-Ono Station with JICA participants, and was given some polite thank-you words from a Pakistani who took the seat next to me by chance on Odakyu Line. I felt ashamed because I was not a good guide, but I also felt encouraged for my next guiding.

We received a thank-you letter from Mr. A. K, a Pakistani participant:.

Dear Good Will Guides, It’s a great privilege for me to be here in Japan. I really appreciate your well organized system and management to deal with all the peoples coming from abroad. I found every person in Japan very well committed and dutiful and very much polite and so much affectionate to everybody, although it is my first tour and I know I will never find any opportunity next time to come over here but I wish I could be among the peoples like you who are so committed and respectful. I must say you peoples are the most civilized nation in all over the world. I am very much oblige and I can not express my feeling and my regards in words. I must praise all of you for providing extra ordinary services to all of us which are unforgettable and the best with no deficiency.

Arigato Kind and Humble Regards, A. K. Pakistan

Year-end Party of AOTS Yokohama Kenshu Center

2010-12-31T11:02:00.006+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, December 31, at 18:30~21:30

[Spots] AOTS Yokohama Kenshu Center

[Attendants] 3 KSGG members and 2 observers.

About 50 AOTS trainees from China, India, and Thailand took part in the year-end party. The food and drink were of Asian taste and were served in a buffet style. Usually, they hold a “rice cake making festival” every year, but it was cancelled this year to prevent noroviruses infection. Instead of that, a drawing was held in a way winners could choose what they wanted. Every time a winner came out, the event warmed up. Two KSGG members could get their prizes. In no time, the feast was in full swing to push on international exchanges here and there. One group sat in a circle, having a pleasant chat, and another boasted about their countries. At the end, Singing Contest was held by “entertainers” of each country and they won a burst of applause.

Thank-you Letter from a German Participant of ISHOC-10 Symposium held at Shonan Village Center on November 10, 2010

2010-12-30T11:28:00.002+09:00

Dear S, Thank you for the very enjoyable trip to Kamakura, which made our stay in Japan a very nice experience.　I would like to congratulate you for the very well organized tour and your excellent descriptions. Wishing you an enjoyable Festive period and a successful New Year 2011!

All the best, M. A

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Trainees around Kamakura

2010-12-29T12:08:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Wednesday, December 29, at 10:00~15:45 [Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)

[Visitors] 21 AOTS trainees from 5 countries, with 8 from China, 6 from Thailand, 4 from India, 2 from Malaysia, and 1 from Vietnam [Trainees’ Occupations] Environment Control, Automobile-related Products, Fuel Injection System, etc.

[Attendants] 16 KSGG members and 4 observers

[Languages] English, Chinese, Thai and Japanese

It was a pleasant day reminding us of Indian summer. Everywhere people looked busy preparing for the New Year. A “Happy New Year” sign had been put up at the main Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and, on its Haiden, three casks of sake and three straw bags of rice had been presented. The trainees, who will stay for six weeks in Japan, were surprised at clean, dust-free Narita Airport. Some of them showed keen interest in our public transportation system, culture and Japanese language. Every one of them was positive enough to speak to us. Conversation with the trainees was one of the purposes of this tour. At Hasedera Temple, all of them climbed up the trail leading to the top of the hill, where we could enjoy a wonderful view of Kamakura. As leaves had all fallen, Kamakura looked larger than usual. The extensive sea, mountains, and town were really beautiful. I could have a very good day with the trainees today.

Our Last 2010 Kamakura Guiding for AOTS Trainees in a Friendly Atmosphere

We did our last guiding of this year in a pleasant Indian summer. I took charge of five trainees (four from India and one from Vietnam) with other KSGG members. I could carry out my work decently, because the other members were all experts and the two observers had long experience in foreign countries. The four trainees from India, who work at the same Japanese automobile company, were very agreeable and united, for they were friendly and built up a sense of fellowship not only with themselves, but also with other trainees. I am impressed with that. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine was less crowded than usual in preparation for the New Year. At Hasedera Temple, we could enjoy a wonderful view of Sagami Bay from its hill. Kotokuin Tempe was very popular among the trainees as usual. The trainees were involved in taking pictures. Finally, at the end of the tour, the group of Chinese trainees started singing with KSGG members joining. Just like the weather of the day, we could close our last guide of this year in a warm, pleasant atmosphere

Guiding an Indonesian Family around Kamakura and Yokohama

2010-12-20T12:16:00.001+09:00

(1) Kamakura [Date & Time] Monday, December 20, at 9:40~17:00 [Spots] Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Zeniarai Benten Shrine, Sasuke Inari Shrine, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine [Visitors] An Indonesian Family: Parents in their 50s, a trading firm owner, a son in his 20s, a company employee, and a daughter, a teenage student [Attendant] 1 KSGG member [Language] English

The parents living in Jakarta and their children living in Melbourne, Australia, met in Japan and will stay together for 15 days. Their itinerary was set up by their son, and he had requested local SGGs to arrange guides for them. At Hasedera Temple, after visiting “Eleven-faced Kannon,” we all climbed up the steps to the top of the hill. Looking down the town of Kamakura, I explained why Kamakura Bakufu, or feudal government, was established here. Then they asked, “What’s Kamakura’s population?” I said, “It’s about 174,000, but on the first 3 days of a new year, 2.5 million people, 15 times larger than that, come to Kamakura to visit Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine for their long life and happiness. On our way to Kotokuin Temple, I explained that President Obama, who lived in Indonesia as a boy, also visited here last month (Nov. 10). At Zeniarai Benten Shrine, their son and daughter washed their Australian fifty-dollar notes and put them back in their purses like treasures. Australian notes are quite good for this practice, for they are plastic and waterproof! After Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, we went to Komachi Dori Street. The young two dropped in a lot of stores there, trying to taste various kinds of Japanese foods. On the way to Kamakura Station, the father expressed their sincere appreciation for my guiding, and their words made me more than happy as a goodwill guide. Thanks to this friendly, warmhearted family, I was very happy the whole day.

(2) Yokohama [Date & Time] Monday, December 27, at 11:00~16:50

[Spots] Shinyokohama Raumen Museum, Yamashita Park by “Sea Bass,” Port Opening Square, Kanagawa Prefectural Government (Tower of King), Nihon-odori and Yokohama Chinatown

[Attendant] 1 KSGG member [Language] English and Bahasa Indonesia

I met the visitors coming from Osaka at Shin-Yokohama Station and, at their advance request, we went to Shinyokohama Raumen Museum, moved to Yokohama, and headed for Yamashita Park enjoying the water-line view of Yokohama from “Sea Bass.” On “Sea Bass,” I talked about “Japan’s national isolation and opening-to-the-world policies and Japan’s modernization,” mentioning that Jakarta was an important transit spot of trading between Japan and Europe during our national isolation days, which seemed to fascinate them. After showing them around Yamashita Park and Port Opening Square, I took them to the rooftop of Kanagawa Prefectural Government (Tower of King) to have them enjoy the views of Minato Mirai 21 and Osanbashi areas. Then we saw the Three Towers of Yokohama from a spot across the street from the front of Kanagawa Prefectural Government (Tower of King), and went to Chinatown through Genbu Gate via Nihon-odori. At Chinatown, they were surprised at its grand scale, and strolled in the town as they dared to eat Chinese buns walking, and as they questioned the large number of world cooking contest champions displayed on the signboards of boom restaurants. I saw the family off at Shin-Yokohama Station. They headed for Tokyo in good spirits despite their heavy itinerary on consecutive days. As it was a day blessed with good weather, I could really have an enjoyable communication with the family.

A Report on Tutor Activity—Communication is a Treasure

2010-12-15T23:05:00.000+09:00

On Wednesday, December 15, I invited Mr. R to my home. I have been tutoring him since last autumn. He studies business administration at the graduate school of Yokohama National University. He is a good young man who speaks Japanese very well and loves Japanese culture. I wondered at first what I should serve to him but I decided to serve him what we usually have for dinner, for I thought it would be most important to have him enjoy the evening with us. As I expected, we really could have pleasant dinner together with my husband and daughter.
What induced me to take on tutorage was my daughter’s remark. She studied in China, and I heard her saying, “I regretted that I had hardly been invited to a home by a Chinese family,” and decided to do it and have a foreign student experience Japan a little in my capacity. Tutorage, or anything, which may be small support, will surely be a treasure to foreigners who come to Japan across the sea and, at the same time, my communication with them will certainly be a treasure of mine as well.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura—Just in the Season of Red and Yellow Leaves

2010-12-04T23:33:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, December 4, at 11:00~16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 9 participants from 5 countries, with 5 from Vietnam, and 1 each from Laos, the Philippines, Chile, and Mexico
[Attendants] 15 KSGG members and 2 observers

The number of participants we had this time was the smallest of this year. As the weather was fine from the morning, we could see very beautiful Mt. Fuji, whose top was covered with snow, after a long time on our way from Fujisawa to Kamakura by Enoden. Everyone was overjoyed at it and took pictures of it.
In Kamakura, I showed the visitors Dr. Langdon Warner Monument by the clock tower. I explained to them that Dr. Warner was a great American Oriental art scholar, and expert in Japanese art, and that he desperately asked the U.S. authorities not to bomb three ancient cities of Japan--Kyoto, Nara, and Kamakura--during World War II to protect the heritage of those cities. Some of them felt moved to hear that, saying, “He was really a great man.”
The red and yellow leaves were at their best at Hasedera Temple and Kotokuin Temple, especially, the Great Buddha there looking more splendid than ever due to the shades of those leaves. How wonderful our tour was just in the season of red and yellow leaves!

Guiding an American Woman around Sankeien Garden and Yokohama

2010-12-02T23:27:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Thursday, December 2, at 11:00~18:10
[Spots] Sankeien Garden and Yokohama Water Front (Sea Buss Cruise)
[Visitor] An American woman
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

I met her at Sakuragicho Station and we went to Sankeien Garden by bus. It was after 12:00 when we got there.　I explained about its Outer Garden, which has wonderful natural scenery, and its Inner Garden, which is like a museum of old architecture, using a map. At Rinshunkaku, a villa for the feudal lord of Kishu-Tokugawa Family, I explained that, during the Edo era, even such a villa as one for the Tokugawa Family was quite simple without any gorgeous decorations like imperial villas in the West. She admired the beauty of Japanese gardens. As Sankei Hara, a businessman who designed and built Sankeien Garden, loved tea ceremony, quite a few tea houses had been moved to this garden. Then we went to the site of Shofukaku, where we could command the Port of Yokohama, and to the three-storied pagoda. At a private house with a rafter roof, which is called gassho-style house in Japanese, I explained about the meaning of “rafter roof” and told her that even a horse had been a member of their family.
On our way back, we got on “Seabass” at Yamashita Park and, seeing Minatomirai, the Pier, Bay Bridge from the sea, we returned to Yokohama Station and said good-bye.

Welcome to Japan Travel Mart 2010

2010-11-26T23:12:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Thursday, November 25, and Friday, November 26, at 9:30~17:30
[Place] Makuhari Messe Hall #8, Kanagawa Pref. Booth
[Attendants] 6 KSGG members

Interpretation for Sankeien Garden Group

I covered Sankeien Garden, Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, and Landmark Tower. Since Haneda Airport turned international, access to the cities south of Yokohama, which had been overlooked by foreign buyers, has dramatically improved. From 9:25 till 17:30 except lunch time, during every 20-minute session, I interviewed 13 buyers from 8 countries including Russia.
There were some business talks that did not need any interpretation. One was an advertisement of “Yokohama Golden Route,” a new project, which will have the tourists spend the morning at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, stroll in Sankeien Garden for two hours or so in the afternoon, have supper at Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum in Shin-Yokohama, and spend some romantic hours at Landmark Tower enjoying the beautiful night view of Yokohama Water Front. Needless to say, this project will provide the visitors with a “Special Inbound Rate” in order to increase the number of visitors. Above all, the business talk covering the well-known Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum was very useful.

Visiting the Yokohama City Central Library and Guiding a Hong Kong Reporter

2010-11-22T12:27:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Monday, November 22, at 8:45~16:30
[Spots] Yokohama City Central Library, Sankeien Garden, Chinatown, Yamashita Park, Yokohama Archives of History, and Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal
[Visitors] Ms. K.C from Hong Kong
[Attendants] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

I accompanied the reporter visiting the library as interpreter. In the library, the outline of it was first explained by its staff. Then he showed us the archives of the library in turn starting with the ones in the third basement. Finally, our tour of the library was concluded in the meeting room with a question and answer session and Ms. K’s presentation of a commemorative gift from the Hong Kong Public Library to the Yokohama City Library.
After that, we visited Sankeien Garden by bus. She seemed to have liked its inner garden thick with beautiful autumnal leaves particularly.
Then I took her on a tour of Chinatown, Yamashita Park, and “Tamakusu” tree in the Yokohama Archives of History, and my guiding came to an end when I saw her off at the hotel.
To Ms. K, the director of Public Library of Hong Kong having over 7 million people, it seemed that to her surprise the facilities of the Yokohama City Library had not been so modern. When I said farewell to her, she said, “Thank you so much. I really appreciate your help at the library and I really enjoyed sightseeing around Yokohama. I would love to welcome you to Hong Kong next time.” I was pleased to hear that.

Welcoming the Semester at Sea Students

2010-11-22T12:13:00.003+09:00

About 700 Semester at Sea students sponsored by Virginia University in the U.S. came to the Port of Yokohama as an annual event. We KSGG members welcomed the group, took them to Engakuji Temple and to a Zen temple to have them experience zazen, or sitting in meditation, and invited some of them to our homes.

Visiting Engakuji Temple and a Zen Temple for Zazen

[Date & Time] Monday, November, 22, at 12:00~17:30
[Spots] On board the SAS, Engakuji Temple, and Chojuji Temple (Kita-Kamakura)
[Visitors] 21 participants, including SAS students, their professors, and their parents
[Attendants] 6 KSGG members
[Language] English

To begin with, the outline of Kamakura was explained and a lecture on “Zen and Bushido” was given on board by a KSGG member, and then the 21 students visited Kita-Kamakura. They were all young and lively. At Engakuji Temple, we explained its outline and, after that, strolling through its precincts full of beautiful red and yellow leaves, saw san-mon, or an inner gate, butsu-den, or a main worshiping hall, senbutsu-jo, or a temporary niche, and kojirin, a place for practicing zazen. The expressions they used to admire the beauty of nature were quite matured and how they enjoyed silent talks with its scenery was impressive.
Then we went to Chojuji Temple. After the tea ceremony was explained in detail by a KSGG member, we had sweets and matcha, a powdered green tea there. Finally, they moved to practice zazen. We interpreted the priest’s explanation and guidance, so that they could go smoothly into meditation. The priest said after the practice, “The way you practiced zazen was better than the way young Japanese people do.” I understand that some of them had experienced a similar meditation during their stay in India. They were really promising young people. 　

Home-Visit Experience 1

[Date & Time] Monday, November 22, at 10:00～16:30
[Spots] 1 KSGG member’s home and Yokomizo Residence
[Visitors] 4 girl students from the U.S.
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member

At my home, I first explained zazen, and then showed them how to make and drink matcha or powdered green tea, using our matcha tea set. The girls tried to do it very actively as they were told to, and made a hub-bub laying out on the table the dishes they had bought. Their topics were food, travel, and their families and, unlike the boys, not any politics, economics, and jobs. After lunch we visited Yokomizo Residence nearby. Several surprising gifts, including the dolls in glass cases, had been prepared for them to pick whatever they liked, but they were half in doubt. In addition, matcha was served and they were allowed to pick persimmons in the backyard. They were awfully delighted by their wonderful home-visit like this.
≪Thank- you e-mail from Ms.A., one of the girl students≫
Thank you so much for allowing me to spend the day with your family. It means a lot to me.
I hope it was fun for you as well.
Thank you for participating in our HOME VISIT Program.
I hope to stay in touch! I left my address and promise to write when I’m back in New Hampshire.

Home-Visit Experience 2

[Date & Time] Tuesday, November 23, at 10:00～17:30
[Spots] 1 KSGG member’s home, Yokohama Landmark Tower’s Sky Garden, and Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum
[Visitors] 3 girl students and 1 boy student, all from the U.S.
[Attendants] 1 KSGG member and her family

My daughter and I met 4 students at Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal at 10 o’clock, and took them to my house. We arrived at our house at 10:30, and I introduced them to my husband. After tea, we had okonomiyaki, or a pancake on the hot-plate, sushi, onigiri or rice ball, and sandwiches for lunch. Above all, they liked okonomiyaki. After lunch they talked a lot over tea and sweets about their college life, the countries they had visited on the way by SAS ship, and so on. After visiting Landmark Tower’s Sky Garden observatory on the 69th floor and strolling through shops nearby, I took three students back to Osanbashi at 15:50. On the other hand, my husband took the boy student among the 4 students to Raumen Museum in Shin-Yokohama, because he suddenly said that he wanted to go to Raumen Museum after the strolling. They returned to Osanbashi at 17:30.
I had been concerned about their home visit, for we had never hosted any foreigners before. Yet I could enjoy myself sharing several refreshing hours with young university students from the U.S.—without any trouble.

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Trainees and Practice Caregivers around Kamakura

2010-11-21T12:07:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, November 21, at 10:00~15:45
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 45 AOTS trainees and practice caregivers from 10 countries, with 27 from Indonesia (including 10 practice caregivers), 4 from India, 3 from Vietnam, 2 each from Cambodia, China, Laos, and Thailand, and 1 each from Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Pakistan
[Trainees’ occupations] Heavy electric equipment manufacture, Computer software manufacture, Automobile manufacture, Crafts manufacture, Chamber of Commerce staff, etc.
[Attendants] 15 KSGG members and 3 observers
[Languages] English, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, and Thai

We guided AOTS trainees and practice caregivers all together. As it was the first Sunday
after President Obama’s visit to Kamakura, every spot was very crowded. At Kotokuin Temple, there were a lot of foreigners and families with children. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, since we happened to see children in shichi-go-san costumes, “Miss Kamakura” and a wedding ceremony, the visitors staying in Japan for only 2 weeks must have been very happy. According to the trainees from Vietnam, as there are shrines and temples in their country and 80% of Vietnamese are Buddhists, Vietnam resembles Japan.

Guiding Practice Caregivers

Three KSGG members guided 10 practice caregivers from Indonesia. When it comes to Japanese manners and customs, they experienced chozu and worshiping by themselves, and they also could see such customs as shichi-go-san or three-five-seven festival, omiyamairi or visiting a Shinto shrine to pray for a new baby’s healthy growth and happiness, and wedding ceremonies in Shinto style with their own eyes. As they had studied these Japanese manners and customs before they came to Japan, they earnestly listened to our explanations and asked questions eagerly in order to deepen their understanding of Japan. They also took a lot of pictures. At the time of farewell, they sang songs of their country such as “Bengawan Solo” and “Nona Manis” at our request. Listening to their songs, we were convinced that they would absolutely accomplish their study and hoped to obtain caregiver’s license here in Japan three years later.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2010-11-20T12:00:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, November 20, at 11:00~16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 25 JICA participants from 15 countries, with 6 from Indonesia, 3 from Syria, 2 each from Egypt, Ethiopia, and Iraq, and 1 each from Brazil, China, Laos, Liberia, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Nepal, Tajikistan, and the Philippines
[Attendants] 16 KSGG members and 4 observers

Among the participants there were two women on wheelchairs from Syria and Tajikistan this time. They laughed and talked with other members pleasantly without showing any tiredness. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, those two women got off their chairs and walked around with their sticks to appreciate scenery and enjoy taking pictures. The participants from Indonesia took pictures of a wedding ceremony held at the Maiden in admiration of its wonderfulness.
At Kotokuin Temple, one of the participants said, “I’m from a Buddhist country like Japan, and we also have a Buddhist statue like this. How beautiful the Buddha is!” and clasped her hands in prayer.
I had quite a time today, for I could guide the visitors happily. Waving their hands, they said “Thank you” and “Good-bye” over and over, and then they left for Tokyo.

Guiding Shonan Village Center ISHOC 10 Participants around Kamakura

2010-11-10T12:10:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Wednesday, November 10, at 13:15~17:20
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Hasedera Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Visitors] Participants of International Symposium sponsored by the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan (ISHOC 10 International Symposium on High-temperature Oxidation and Corrosion 2010)
94 Participants, including 47 from Japan, from 19 countries: USA, Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, Iran, South Africa, China, Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia
[Attendants] 6 KSGG members
[Language] English

I guided 32 visitors on Bus 3 with another KSGG member. The theme of the symposium was “High-temperature and Corrosion.” On the bus, after introducing ourselves and our driver, we explained about our organization. For engineers among those, we detailed the Great Buddha casting method, the fusing point of bronze alloy, the scientific ingredients, and the difference between the gilding by evaporation of mercury and the gold leaf. In front of the Great Buddha at Kotokuin Temple, an Indian engineer asked me about the way the Great Buddha folds his fingers. At Hasedera Temple, a French woman, who was interested in a thousand statues of Jizo, showered me with questions in French. Then I guided them around Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in the dusk of the evening. At Haiden, a worshiping hall, I was told that Indians worship Buddha with their right hand on their chest.
A lot of engineers made a good account of KSGG. Also, they were very pleased with our guiding, and said, clapping their hands, “Thank you very much. Every explanation of yours was very plain.” At the end of the tour, on the way back to Shonan Village Center, some German and French visitors took the trouble to get off the bus to shake hands with us, saying, “We’ve had a very good time.”

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Trainees around Kamakura

2010-10-31T12:03:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, October 31, at 10:00~15:45
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 29 AOTS trainees from 3 countries, with 16 from Thailand, 8 from Indonesia, and 5 from China
[Trainees’ occupations] Automobile-related Products manufacture, Optical Lens manufacture, Musical Instruments manufacture, Metallic Casts manufacture, etc.
[Attendants] 15 KSGG members and 1 observer
[Languages] English, Thai, Indonesian, Chinese, and Japanese

All the trainees looked quite satisfied by such autumnal Japanese scenes and manners as children in shichi-go-san or three-five-seven festival costumes, a chrysanthemum show, and wedding ceremonies.　　Also, at every chozuya or a washbasin, they were all polite enough to purify their hands and mouths with water as they had been told to. I wondered if they had felt the cleanliness of Japanese water. The lookout of Hasedera Temple commands a fine view of Kamakura. We saw a lot of Buddhist pilgrims and foreigners there. The Great Buddha sitting in a dignified manner with the natural beauty of Kamakura gives us a true feeling of peace and security. At the end of the tour, the attendants who had made friends with the visitors as usual, also had a very good time guiding them.

* Conversations with Trainees from China and Thailand:

I met the trainees at Shin-Sugita Station and had a good time talking with one of them on the train to Kamakura. She was from Shanghai and it was her fourth trip to Japan. She now attends a free talk Japanese class at YKC. As all Japanese teachers there are volunteers and many of them work there for a long time, she seemed to have had an interest in volunteer activities in Japan, asking me a lot of questions, such as the volunteer percentage of Japan and the place they have to visit to find those jobs, and added, “Since, in China, most retirees only care for their grandchildren at home, I was surprised at the difference from Japanese volunteers, which aroused my interest. I am thinking of making a report of Japanese volunteers at the end of this training.”
In Kamakura, I guided six trainees from Thailand with 2 other KSGG members. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple, they washed their hands and mouths with water as they had been told to before praying. I wondered if they had prayed to complete their training in Japan without any problem. Anyway, I was happy I could have a pleasant day with the trainees full of pep without being caught by the wind and the rain.

Interpretation Activity for APEC

2010-10-25T12:23:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] From Monday, October 25, to Sunday, November 7
[Spots] Landmark Plaza 3F.
[Attendants] 7 KSGG members
[Language] Chinese and English

At the request of Landmark Plaza, I provided an interpretation service for foreign visitors with 6 other members of KSGG’s Practical Chinese Club for 21 days during the APEC session. The foreigners we covered during the session numbered 117, with 36 Chinese- and 81 English-speaking visitors. Above all, we helped 69 visitors during the 8-day session, and the number of them reached 27 during the last 2-day summit conference. Even though our interpretation service was provided in strictly guarded surroundings, the atmosphere of the hall was quite sociable by virtue of friendly smiles returned from many visitors, grass-roots communication with Chinese pupils living in Japan, and an interview with a reporter from Hong Kong.
Also, at the request of Landmark Plaza, as we translated the brochures advertising its observatory on the 69th floor into Chinese and English, we could learn not a little hospitality know-how that we would put to good account in our future KSGG activity.

Guiding Foreign Students Studying in Japan around Kamakura

2010-10-24T12:29:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, October 24, at 10:00~16:00
[Spots] Engakuji Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and Kotokuin Temple　(Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 22 participants from 22 countries, with 4 from the U.S., 2 each from Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and 1 each from Ireland, Mexico, England, France, China, Indonesia, Canada, and Italy
[Attendants] 17 KSGG members and 1 observer

A Bangladeshi student took part in this tour with his wife and two-year-old daughter. At lunch time we took a break at a resting place of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, where I enjoyed talking with the Bangladeshi family, who had brought their lunches with them, feeling that Bangladesh, a far-off country, was quite closer to me. The Bangladeshi student, who was very earnest and courteous and was seriously thinking about his homeland, said with smile, “I respect Japanese people,” which really moved me.
When a lot of gloomy news is around us these days, I appreciate that I could spend a very happy day together with various foreign students showing goodwill and praise toward us.

Guiding and Inviting Education-related People from GCC Countries around Kamakura and to our Homes

2010-10-23T12:32:00.000+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, October 23, at 9:40~17:00
[Spots] Hokokuji Temple and Jyomyoji Temple (in the morning), and Homes (in the afternoon)
[Visitors] 12 foreign students, including a student’s family, with 3 each from UAE and Bahrain, 2 each from Qatar and Oman, and 1 each from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members for guiding and 4 KSGG members for home-inviting

We had this event last year and it was our second one this year. I guided the students and a student’s family to Hokokuji Temple and Jyomyoji Temple on their first holiday in Japan. They enjoyed a comfortable time walking in the bamboo garden and having matcha, or powdered green tea, at a teahouse before the Japanese garden. To my surprise, they made nothing of sitting on their heels on the tatami mat or on the floor, which they had been accustomed to.
In the afternoon I invited three Bahraini visitors to my house: one was a lady who works for the Ministry of Education; another was her younger brother; and the other was a man who supervises the architectural staff in the Ministry of Education and likes to make simple furniture as one of his hobbies. He was talking with my husband who happens to have the same hobby. We had a good time with my daughter, who works as a tour conductor, taking part in our conversation. Two hours had passed before I knew it. When I was given dried dates and other souvenirs from each of the visitors, I really felt very much obliged to them.

Origami Workshop by Japanese Language Supporting Group

2010-10-23T11:50:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, October 23, at 13:00~16:30
[Place] Room 302, Kanagawa Volunteer Support Center
[Visitors] 14 foreigners including 3 children from 8 countries (Thailand, Uzbekistan,
Indonesia, China, Myanmar, Costa Rica, Russia, and Peru) and 1 Japanese
[Attendees] 12 KSGG members

We had an origami (paper folding) workshop for the first time in two years, which is one of our events to introduce Japanese traditional culture by our Japanese Language Supporting Group. The guests tried to make crane-shaped hina dolls using beautiful Japanese paper with its surface and reverse uniquely lustered to keep the Japanese feature. They were divided into small groups and our 12 members taught them how to make a hina doll carefully on a one-on-one basis. Among them, three male guests worked hard on origami and could make more than they had planned to. They were moved to see their own works, saying “It is great fun folding paper into figures.” As we had enough time, they could have their family enjoy paper folding together calmly without reserve, without disturbing other people. I was more than happy to have a good time with them.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2010-10-16T11:40:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, October 16, at 11:00~18:00
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), and Enoshima Island
[Visitors] 66 participants, including 1 special guest, from 22 countries, with 17 from Indonesia, 10 from Afghanistan, 7 from China, 4 from Nepal, 3 each from Sri Lanka and Syria, 2 each from the Philippines, India, Thailand, Turkey, and Cambodia, and 1 each from Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Chile, Brazil, Mongolia, Botswana, Samoa, Serbia, Iraq, Laos, and Malawi.
[Attendants] 26 KSGG members and 3 observers

Although the festival day for children aged seven, five and three is in November, many fathers and mothers took their children a month earlier in October to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. A participant from Cambodia, who said he has four children and the youngest one is seven, walked up to the Japanese children, patted their heads, hugged them, and took many pictures of them. Also, he said there is no festival like this in Cambodia.
In the afternoon we went to Kotokuin Temple, where they were so fascinated by the Great Buddha’s profound mercy and power that they said their wishes. It was the scene we can see only in the Buddhist countries. At Enoshima Island, they ate grilled cuttlefish, bought souvenirs for their families and, at last, were taken of themselves in a group picture against the ocean in the background. Despite a large number of participants we guided this time, we could finish our tour of Kamakura happily without any trouble.

Meeting of Kanagawa Voluntary Guides in 2010

2010-10-09T11:56:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Meeting and Sociable: Saturday, Oct. 9, at 13:30~16:30/17:30~1930
[Place] Kanagawa Labor Plaza
[Participants] 166 people with 1 guest, 7 speakers, including their attendants, 9 foreigners, 2 directors of other SGG, 9 Odawara/Hakone SGG members, 97 KSGG members, and 42 visitors

In his opening address, KSGG chairman expressed his thanks to the attendants for their understanding of and cooperation in the volunteer activity of our goodwill interpreters. Then we were given from the guests words of gratitude for our goodwill interpretation activities, including our tourists guiding services. After that, the representative of Odawara/Hakone SGG introduced his club and explained how to make Odawara Lanterns in English. On the other hand, KSGG, after introducing its activities, performed in five languages—Korean, Chinese, English, Spanish, and French—roll plays reporting its activities, such as a visit to the wind turbines, and workshops of kimono dressing and Japanese calligraphy.
In her lecture, Ms. Akiko Matsuoka, Executive Director/Trainer of Non-Profit Organization Guide Interpreting & Communication Skill Studies Association, talked about ‘YOU CAN CHALLENGE A JOYFUL GUIDING’ emphasizing how important it is to show the heart of our hospitality with words, attitudes and expressions.
The party at the end was a very exciting one full of chats among the attendants including the guests and foreign visitors, with KSGG members’ music performance in the background.

Guiding African JICA Participants by Request of Aizu-Wakamatsu International Association

2010-10-09T11:43:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Saturday, October 9, at 9:10 ~ 15:30
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Kamakura-bori Museum, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 15 participants from 8 countries in Africa, with 4 from Rwanda, 3 each from Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, 1 each from Cameroon, Chad, Morocco, Sao Tome and Principe, and Togo
[Attendants] 3 KSGG members
[Language] French (by a JICE interpreter)

The participants came to Japan to see the Japanese tourism and I was a bit nervous because I had heard that they were also concerned about how KSGG people would guide them around Kamakura. Unfortunately, it was a rainy day, and I worried over traffic congestion, for it was in the middle of three consecutive holidays.
We started off from JICA Tokyo Center by bus a bit after 9 o’clock and I told them in the bus about our KSGG organization and the history of Kamakura using pictures. Everyone was all ears. I was surprised that there are goodwill guide activities like ours in Africa, too. The JICE interpreter was efficient in translating what I talked about into French. There were slaughters and refugee problems caused by civil wars in Africa, but every participant was cheerful. Among them, however, there were some who have fought a civil war. We saw something tense in their looks.
We had lunch, shopped at Komachi-dori, and visited Hasedera Temple and Kotokuin Temple, but we could complete our tour ahead of schedule. Finally, when we gave them origami (paper folding) dolls, they all looked very happy. A Moroccan lady was kind enough to give us beautiful key-ring-like presents in return. When we sent them off, it began to rain in buckets, but we were lucky that we could stay away from such a driving rain and finish our tour ahead of schedule.

Guiding an International Fetal Medicine Group around Kamakura

2010-09-28T11:53:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Tuesday, September 28, at 13:30~17:30
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha) and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine [Visitors] 87 International Fetal Medicine Group members from Europe and North America
[Attendants] 4 KSGG members

We headed for Kotokuin Temple from Shonan Village Center by two buses. On the buses, we introduced ourselves, explained about our organization, and described Kamakura as we viewed the scene of it out of the window. At Kotokuin Temple, the group people of each bus enjoyed shrine maidens’ dance, visited the Great Buddha, and its inside without any problem. After that, we moved to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine by bus, went into the shrine through the path where Yabusame, or the horseback archery is held. As we described the surroundings, we went on from the other gateway part of the walkway called Dankazura. Then, at the very end of the tour, we strolled the Komachidori Shopping Street. At our preparation stage, we had some concern resulting from misunderstanding between the Society of Medicine and us. Yet I was relieved to find that everything was settled with the cooperation of my colleagues, the secretary of the Society of Medicine, and its doctors who had given us a help.

Guiding Australians around Kamakura

2010-09-27T11:38:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Monday, September 27, at 10:50~16:30
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Kamakurabori Museum, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple　(Great Buddha)
[Visitors] An Australian family of three and a daughter’s friend .
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

The husband, who wholesales wine in Sydney, Australia, and his family came to Japan to visit Tokyo, Kamakura, Kyoto, Nara, and Hiroshima. Being a kind father, he wanted his daughter, l6, a high school student, to have some cross-cultural experiences while she still depends on him. He said they would stay in Japan for about two weeks for her daughter’s precious experience. Also, he brought the best friend of his daughter here, as she wanted to come to Japan.
As they had already visited the sights of Tokyo, I scarcely had to tell them about our manners to visit a shrine and a temple, and our fortune slips. Since I had expected at the start that it would rain all day long, I thought our touring time would be left over if we would decide to cancel our visits to some places because of rain. So I added a tour of Kamakura Sculpture Museum to our plan.
At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, they had a lively interest in the horseback archery and, at Hasedera Temple, a thousand images of Jizo. The wife, who made the itinerary, said, “I was very happy to meet the Great Buddha.” She also said that she was very happy to be in Kamakura, the atmosphere of which is really calm and quiet. Incidentally, she learned about our organization through the Internet.

“Waku Waku Matsuri” at Yokohama Kohoku International Lounge

2010-09-26T11:48:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time ] Sunday, September 26, at 10:00~16:00
[Place] Yokohama Kohoku International Lounge
[Attendants] 3 KSGG members
[Languages] English and French

The Waku Waku Matsuri, or Exciting Festival, was a great occasion this year, with a lot of groups and individuals regularly associating with foreign residents in Japan invited, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Yokohama Kohoku International Lounge. At its ceremony, the institution recognized the people who had got credit for supporting languages. One of our KSGG members was also awarded. Then a lot of people danced, played music, performed plays in Japanese, and delivered speeches. Finally, they sang Italian songs. As 14 people, including the pianist, sang and played enthusiastically, everyone was moved and delighted, especially, to hear Italy’s national anthem for the first time. When it was my turn, I sang “Les Feuilles Mortes” and “La Marseillaise” in French. Besides singing songs by myself in French at the main hall in front of a lot of Japanese and foreign music fans, I enjoyed all of the various events such as canzone and chanson which were going on in each hall.

Guiding American Couples around Kamakura

2010-09-21T23:13:00.001+09:00

[Date & Time] Tuesday, September 21, at 9:50~16:00
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Hasedera Temple, and Hokokuji Temple
[Visitors] 4 American couples, 8 persons in total, in their 60’s
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
[Language] English

Our guests, who were the graduates of the same high school, said they were very good friends. Personally, I guided foreign visitors for the first time, and was very nervous at first. Yet I could relax myself gradually thanks to their friendly smiles. At Kotokuin Temple, I explained about the Great Buddha, and we went into its inside. They gradually came alive as they patted the inside of the statue to examine the traces of the cast bronze there.
On the way from Kotokuin Temple to Hasedera Temple, one of the women bought a flower basket at a flower shop, saying, “This basket is very suitable for my flower arrangement.” As she has been enjoying flower arrangement for 25 years, she is a teacher now. At Hokokuji Temple, which we visited after Hasedera Temple, they enjoyed its bamboo grove and its Japanese garden in the background. As it was luckily a clear and fine day but terribly a hot day, we decided to skip Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine after Hokokuji Temple, though we had planned to visit it. We only explained about the shrine in the bus. The tour, which was full of smiles at every scene, was really a very satisfactory one.

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Trainees around Kamakura

2010-09-19T22:50:00.003+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, September 19, at 10:00~15:45
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple　(Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 67 AOTS trainees from 8 countries, with 27 from China, 19 from Thailand, 6 from the Philippines, 5 each from Vietnam and Malaysia, 2 each from Indonesia and Brazil, and 1 from Argentina
[Occupations] Automotive, Computer software, Camera, Electric equipment, etc.
[Attendants] 19 KSGG members and 1 observer
[Languages] English, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, and Portuguese

It is only less than two weeks since the trainees started to learn Japanese. KSGG members who can speak Spanish or Portuguese joined the tour and we guided them using 5 languages. The trainees showed interest in samurai and also asked about ninja, or samurai who were engaged in espionage using special tools and weapons. I would take some pictures of them next time. When I showed them a portrait of Yoritomo in samurai outfit and pictures of Yabusame, or horseback archery, they looked eager to come here again to see the event. On our way back, when one of the trainees said in the train, “I had a very good time today,” showing me a photo of his family on his cellphone, I was very much pleased with his words.

Guiding them around Kamakura with Beautiful Hagi, or Japanese Bush Clovers

It was a day, even in the hot sunshine of summer, when we could feel signs of autumn.
I guided one of the groups in Chinese. We walked through Dan-kazura to visit Hachimangu Shrine. Luckily, a wedding ceremony was going on at its Maiden stage. The trainees were excited and took a lot of pictures of it. I understand that they might not always feel happy here in Japan, but hope that they will do their best until the day when they go back and show the pictures of the wedding ceremony to their family and friends back in their countries.
After we enjoyed the tour around the shrine, we had lunch in the cool of the restaurant. To our surprise, there was a menu written in Chinese there. It said soba, or buckwheat noodles, and donburi, or rice bowl dish. Also, as it showed a good design of food to be served on top of soba and rice, everyone could see at a glance what the dishes were.
As it was one of the three consecutive holidays, there were many tourists and visitors in Kamakura, which delayed and overcrowded buses and trains. Even in such conditions, as they behaved very carefully, calling out one another, I could see the bright future of China through their fine manners. I hope that today’s tour around Kamakura will be engraved on their minds.

Guiding British Women around Kamakura

2010-09-16T23:17:00.002+09:00

[Date & Time] Thursday, September 16 , at 9:40～16:10
[Spots] Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), and Tsurugaoka
Hachimangu Shrine
[Visitors] 2 British women
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

Ms. J. N., one of the visitors in her 30’s, works at a travel agency in London, and Ms. M. D., the other in her 40’s, works at a department store there. They came to Japan to enjoy their late summer holidays and I had an opportunity to guide them around Kamakura. We visited Hasedera Temple and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha) in the morning in order to have them watch the Yabusame festival which starts at 1 p.m. at Tsurugaoka Hachimanngu Shrine. As we put off having lunch and ran for a good place to watch Yabusame, we could get a very good place. Ms. J. was absorbed in taking pictures for her report on a new sightseeing route to her boss.
Also, she wanted to know in detail about the differences among the horses: one depicted in ema, a votive picture tablet of a horse, one used in horseback archery they watched, and one commonly-seen in the Kamakura era.
They said that they would go to costume shops in Akihabara and then to Kyoto and Nara via a tour of Fuji and Hakone during their two-week stay in Japan.

Guiding two Singaporean Women around Kamakura

2010-09-10T23:19:00.002+09:00

[Date & Time] Friday, September 10, at 10:00～16:00
[Place] Jufukuji Temple, Genjiyama Park, Zeniarai Benten Shrine, Sasuke Inari Shrine, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and Komachidori Street.
[Visitors] 2 Singaporean women (Aunt and Niece)
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

I met a lovely girl and a beautiful lady at 10 o’clock in front of Kamakura Station. Since I had interchanged a lot of e-mails and my photos with them in advance, I felt they were like old acquaintances of mine when I met them. I asked them to sign their names on “Records of Guide” at once, as confirmed by e-mail in advance, giving them a small map to make sure of their trip. On the way, we talked a lot about Japan and Singapore. Despite my image of Singapore being ahead in ecology, I learned that they still have not collected garbage by type there. When they saw Japanese children walking home from school by themselves, they said, “It is very safe here in Japan; it is awful for us to leave our children alone in our country.”
We had them enjoy a hike, which they had not accustomed themselves to, from Jufukuji Temple to the Great Buddha via Genjiyama Park, Zeniarai Benten Shrine, and Sasuke Inari Shrine. Near Hase Station they bought some presents for their children at a 100-yen shop, and then we went to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and Komachi dori Street, where they enjoyed shopping bags and shawls, and I waved to them in farewell.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2010-09-04T23:26:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, September 4, at 11:00~16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 23 participants from 11 countries, with 4 from Pakistan, 3 each from Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and India, 2 from Bangladesh, and 1 each from China, Colombia, Afghanistan, the Philippines, and Cambodia
[Attendants] 21 KSGG members and 3 observers

Whenever I guide JICA participants around Kamakura, I always admire that they never show tiredness no matter how tired they really are, and that they listen to me attentively with a smile.
On our way to Kamakura by Enoden, it seemed that the beautiful scenery of Enoshima Island in the vast Sagami Bay had given them some relaxation, energy, and encouragement as they were from distant countries. When one of them, whose country is landlocked, said to me, “If my country isn’t landlocked, then I can see a beautiful island like Enoshima, can’t I?”, I said to him, “Of course, you can.”
In the afternoon we went to Hasedera Temple and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha). One participant from Nepal said to me seriously, “I love the Great Buddha very much. He was born in the Himalayas.”

Guiding an Italian around Kamakura

2010-09-04T23:24:00.001+09:00

[Date&Time] Saturday, September 4, at 10:00~18:00
[Spots] Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Hokokuji Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Visitor] An Italian Woman
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

The visitor, Ms. V, who came to Japan to get some training, wanted to spend a day of her two weekends in touring Kamakura during her stay in Japan. As it was really a very hot day, we were very much annoyed by intense heat. .
After visiting Hasedera Temple and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), we came back to Kamakura Station and had lunch at a Japanese restaurant in front of the station. Seemingly, she liked the color and the taste of the dish. Then we strolled in Hokokuji Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and Komachidori Street. Since I had often toured these places, I could enjoy guiding her smoothly.
While I was showing her around, she said that she had been to Nikko, Asakusa, Ueno, and Tokyo Tower and, on top of that, she had participated in a marathon around the Imperial Palace, which was invited by her colleague of the Tokyo office. She was such a very active, energetic woman.
Shortly afterward, I received a thank-you e-mail from her. I am very happy to know that she appreciated KSGG’s activity and the fascination of Japan through that tour.

Guiding Chinese Residents in Japan around Kamakura

2010-08-21T22:59:00.003+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday, August 21, at 9:30～17:00
[Spots] Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), and Tsurugaoka Hachimanngu Shrine
[Visitors] Mr. Z.WM and 53 Chinese residents in Japan
[Attendants] 11 KSGG members
[Language] Chinese and Japanese

At the request of Mrs. WL, a Chinese teacher of KSGG, I guided Mr. Z.WM, her husband, and Chinese residents in Japan around Kamakura with other 10 KSGG members learning Chinese at her class. In the morning, an Outdoor Network Group of 53 Chinese residents in Japan arrived at Hasedera Temple in a large tour bus. The tour started with all of them divided into 5 groups. As most of them were young, they were all cheerful and friendly, and had a lot of fun at “Daikokuten, or Mahākalā, to Touch.” To them, the scenery of Kamakura seen from the height of Hasedera Temple was exceptionally beautiful.
Then we visited Kotokuin Temple. Before they scattered, we took a group photo of all. Then, some visitors, who were interested in the construction of the Great Buddha, entered its inside to check it. At the end of our morning tour, we shook hands with our visitors, saying goodbye before lunch. In the afternoon, at Hachimangu Shrine, we practiced guiding in Chinese under the tuition of Mr. Z. This is our first hands-on practice and, as he corrected our Chinese phrases and pronunciations quickly and efficiently, we gained a good experience. Also, as he gave us hard questions one after another, we had our Mr. O answer them in Japanese. Finally, we toasted to him with beer at a restaurant. It was a very pleasant exchange between Japan and China.
.

Guiding an Italian Man around Kamakura—Part 2

2010-08-21T22:50:00.001+09:00

[Date and Time] Saturday,August 21, at 9:00～17:00
[Spots] Sugimotodera Temple, Jyomyoji Temple, Hokokuji Temple, Engakuji Temple, and Tokeiji Temple
[Visitor] An Italian man (57, a law firm owner)
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] Italian

I called the visitor for greeting two days before the tour. After I gave him my name, once I said “Piacere” (Hello), he began to pop off in Italian. To my regret, I apologized not for getting what he said. However, I could catch “Dopo domani” (the day after tomorrow) and “Ho capito” (I understand) clearly.
On the day, I picked him up at the hotel in Yokohama at 9am and we started our tour. Although I spoke in Italian for the first time in about a year, I was getting accustomed to it little by little.
When he found unknown words in English leaflets given at every temple we visited, he checked them by using a dictionary function on his mobile phone. So I almost didn't have to explain them.
In the afternoon, he looked tired for a while, but I was relieved that he completely recovered at the end of the tour.

Guiding an Italian Man around Kamakura—Part 1

2010-08-20T23:01:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, August 20, at 9:00～21:00
[Spots] Zeniarai Benten Shrine, Jyufukuji Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Hasedera Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Tomb of Minamoto Yoritomo, and Kamakuragu Shrine
[Visitor] An Italian man, 57, a law firm owner
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

Since it was my first experience in guiding a foreign visitor, I had been a little nervous. However, I was relieved when I met him at his hotel to find that he was quite frank. When I asked about his health condition for hiking, he showed his large thigh well-trained by soccer, saying that he would like to visit as many places as possible before sunset, because he would have to leave Kamakura at 3 o’clock tomorrow afternoon.
At Zeniarai Benten Shrine, I explained that, if coins would be washed with the shrine's spring water, they would increase several-fold in the future. As he was rich, he washed only ten yen coins. Then I treated him to a shaved ice, seasonal tradition for Japanese summer. When we finished visiting the Great Buddha and Hasedera Temple, I looked at my watch to find that it was still 2 o’clock. I asked him if he could walk to Kamakura Station. He said, “Of course, I can!” Then, at Hachimangu Shrine, he drew an English fortune slip, which said: “Good in the future. You’ll make a success in every field, small as it will be.” He was satisfied with it. We got on a bus at Kamakuragu Shrine to go back to Kamakura Station.

Guiding Italian Couples around Kamakura

2010-08-14T22:56:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Thursday, August 14, at 9:40～17:30
[Spots] Kita-Kamakura Station, Engakuji Temple, Kencyoji Temple, Hokokuji Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Komachi Street, Hasedera Temple, ,Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha) , Kamakura Station
[Visitors] Two Italian Couples from Rome and Milano
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

The visitors hoped to visit 10 spots, but, as time was up, we could only make six of them despite their trying efforts. Everyone was interested in lotuses and tortoises in the Genpei Pond at Hachimangu Shrine, the Eleven-faced Kannon, the ocean, and a sign saying “Beware of kites” at Hasedera Temple, and the giant statue of the Great Buddha at Kotokuin Temple.
On our way, they asked me why I spend my time guiding foreign visitors as volunteer without taking any fees. I answered that, in my case, I enjoy meeting and talking with a lot of visitors from various places in the world. I was pleased to know that they were interested in our activities.

Tutor’s Activities outside the curriculum--Hiking at Mt. Nokogiri in Chiba prefecture -

2010-08-13T22:53:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Friday, August 13 at 9:30~18:00
[Spots] Kurihama Beach (a spot where Perry made land）and Mt. Nokogiri
[Foreign Students] Mr. L.M. (Chinese), a student of Yokohama National University
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members

As part of a tutor’s activities, Mr. L.M., a foreign student of Yokohama National University, and two KSGG members, including me, went hiking in Kurihama Beach and Mt. Nokogiri in Chiba Prefecture. Mr. L.M., who was interested in Japanese history very much, knew more about Japanese history than I had expected. He asked us questions in a very serious attitude. Later, we went to the top of Mt. Nokogiri by aerial ropeway. The hiking trail on its top was very steep, but a whole day excursion was quite pleasant and massive.

Guiding AOTS Trainees around Kamakura

2010-08-08T22:50:00.002+09:00

[Date and Time] Sunday, August 8, at 10:00~15:45
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), and Yuigahama Beach (Visitors who are interested)
[Visitors] 61 AOTS trainees from 8 counties, with 26 from Thailand, 22 from China, 7 from Malaysia, 2 each from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Venezuela, and 1 each from the Philippines and India
[Occupations] Automotive, Computer Software, Sales Management, etc.
[Languages] Chinese, English, Thai, and Japanese
[Attendants] 15 KSGG members

In the prolonged heat of the summer, we started our tour at the clock tower in front of Kamakura Station. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, “Bon-Bon Matsuri,” or a Lantern Festival, which is a symbolic event of summer, had been held. Because of many square paper lanterns with various drawings, including the landscapes of Kamakura, and the earth, cartoons, and poems, I thought the festival was especially beautiful this year. At the Maiden stage, a special ceremony was held to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of Emperor Ojin enshrined at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. In this ceremony, different kinds of flutes, such as a big wooden one of Aborigine, an ancient stone one of Japan, and a traditional Japanese one were played and dedicated to the shrine. The sounds I listened to for the first time were quite unique and natural. At Hasedera Temple, all of us, including the visitors, looked very cheerful. It was even cool at its overlook and in Benten-kutsu cave. Finally, at the Great Buddha, a cool breeze began to blow. Then the female visitors from Thailand and others headed for Yuigahama Beach in summer.

*Guiding trainees from Thailand
We bought box lunches at a convenience store on Wakamiya Oji Street, and went to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. After paying homage at the shrine, we had lunch at around Genji-ike Pond talking about the Genji and the Heike clans. At Hasedera Temple, they were interested especially in Sentai-Jizo, or one thousand stone statues and prayed seriously. I imagined that they had thought of a baby of their relatives, who died before or immediately after its birth. (Sentai-Jizo is said to save the spirits of dead babies.) At Kotokuin Temple, they mused over the close relationships between Thailand and Japan, looking at the 3 pine trees planted in its precincts in honor of the visit of Thai crown prince, of Rama 7th, and of others.

Guiding JICA Participants around Kamakura

2010-08-07T22:48:00.002+09:00

[Date & Time] Saturday, August 7, at 11:00~16:40
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 32 participants from 20 countries, with 3 each from Malaysia, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Thailand, 2 each from Brazil and Bhutan, 1 each from Peru, Macedonia, Georgia, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, China, Nepal, Palestine, Russia, and Ukraine
[Attendants] 22 KSGG members and 1 observer

Visitors fascinated with those pictures took a lot of photos of them, saying “We can see various kinds of paintings. They are really interesting and beautiful.”
In the afternoon, they visited Hasedera Temple and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha). A group photo of all the visitors showing beautiful smiles was taken against the background of Great Buddha.

Guiding AOTS (YKC) Trainees around Kamakura— Even Indian Participants could not Stand Muggy Weather in Kamakura !

2010-08-01T22:46:00.002+09:00

[Date & Time] Sunday, August 1, at 10:00~15:00
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Participants] 3 participants from India
[Attendants] 3 KSGG members
[Language] English and Japanese

It was my first experience since I joined KSGG 4 years ago to guide my juniors of the company I used to work for. They were trainees from a factory manufacturing equipment for a thermal power generation plant under construction in the south of India.
There were only a few visitors at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, probably because it had been extremely hot those days. Hata-age Benzai-ten Shrine was surrounded with lotus flowers in full bloom. When our member “O” said, “The origin of Benzai-ten is “Sarasvati, the Indian goddess of river,” every participant’s face was kindled.
Then we went to an Indian restaurant for lunch. After giving a toast with Indian beer and leisurely enjoying authentic Indian curry to get rid of the heat of summer, we headed for the Great Buddha. However, as it was so muggy, the sweat stood on everyone’s face and, when they came out of the Buddha’s inside, the three of them sat in the shade and would not even move. As they usually stay home without going out during the daytime on a hot day in India and, as they will start their practice at a plant the next morning, we made a quick decision to skip our last spot Hasedera Temple and went straight back to Kamakura Station by bus. They said that the temperature in India is higher, but the humidity is 70% or below. They gave up before we did, as it was really a very hot day.

Guiding a Swiss Couple around Kamakura—Meeting a Good Samaritan

2010-07-29T22:44:00.002+09:00

[Date & Time] Thursday, July 29, at 9:30-18:30
[Spots] Engakuji Temple, Tokeiji Temple, Meigetsuin Temple, Kenchoji Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Union (supermarket), Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] A Swiss couple from Vevey, Switzerland (a doctor, 53, and a journalist, 44)
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English

As I asked them by e-mail in advance what they wanted to visit, they said they would like to visit eight temples and one shrine, and would like to have Kobe beef for dinner. Even though they had hoped a lot, eventually, we had to cut our tour a bit short as stated above, because of a heavy rain that soaked us to the skin and of word that it was impossible to have Kobe beef in Kamakura. When we got under cover in a garage on our way to Meigetsuin, Mrs. M living nearby, who had pity on us to see us walking in the rain without umbrella, was kind enough to give us bath towels, changes of clothes, and large umbrellas. The Swiss doctor and his wife were amazed at Mrs. M’s kindness. So I remarked, “This is ‘the very Buddha in the hell’ (which means A Good Samaritan), for our daily conduct is good,” giving a bit unreasonable explanation. The visitors from Swiss gave me a polite telephone call the next day, saying, “We could enjoy KSGG’s ‘Quality Guiding’.”