① A Beautiful Heart that Senses Happiness
[Date and Time] Sunday, June 14, at 10:00 ~ 16:30
[Visitors] American mother (from Indiana) and her daughter (from Georgia)
[Spots] Engakuji Temple, Kotokuin Temple, and Hasedera Temple
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Date and Time] Sunday, June 14, at 10:00 ~ 16:30
[Visitors] American mother (from Indiana) and her daughter (from Georgia)
[Spots] Engakuji Temple, Kotokuin Temple, and Hasedera Temple
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
The mother planned this tour to Japan as a birthday present for her 40-year-old daughter. The mother, who gave birth to her daughter at Camp Zama, a U.S. base, 40 years before, wanted to show her the place of her birth through this tour.
Fortunately, at Engakuji Temple, we could see “Sunday Zazen Practice” at its chief priest’s chamber, which rang with a monk’s warning stick. The mother and her daughter fixed their eyes on the solemn scene.
In the afternoon, after the mother accomplished her mission that she had wanted to let her daughter see the Great Buddha, we visited Hasedera Temple and enjoyed the beautiful sweet flags and hydrangeas there. I finished my guiding safe and sound, giving them a hug over and over again at Ofuna Station in farewell.
Also, at Engakuji Temple, the mother bought a “Red Seal Notebook” and, in remembrance of their tour, had it sealed and words written in an India ink at the temples they visited. At Engakuji Temple, they had these wonderful words written in the Red Seal Notebook: “Flowers are beautiful. The moon is beautiful. And the heart that senses it is beautiful.” When I explained the meaning of them, the mother and her daughter, who were moved, wrote it down in their notebooks. The heart that senses beauty and the heart that senses happiness are the most beautiful.
Fortunately, at Engakuji Temple, we could see “Sunday Zazen Practice” at its chief priest’s chamber, which rang with a monk’s warning stick. The mother and her daughter fixed their eyes on the solemn scene.
In the afternoon, after the mother accomplished her mission that she had wanted to let her daughter see the Great Buddha, we visited Hasedera Temple and enjoyed the beautiful sweet flags and hydrangeas there. I finished my guiding safe and sound, giving them a hug over and over again at Ofuna Station in farewell.
Also, at Engakuji Temple, the mother bought a “Red Seal Notebook” and, in remembrance of their tour, had it sealed and words written in an India ink at the temples they visited. At Engakuji Temple, they had these wonderful words written in the Red Seal Notebook: “Flowers are beautiful. The moon is beautiful. And the heart that senses it is beautiful.” When I explained the meaning of them, the mother and her daughter, who were moved, wrote it down in their notebooks. The heart that senses beauty and the heart that senses happiness are the most beautiful.
② A Once-in-a-lifetime Chance
[Date and Time] Monday, June 15, at 10:00 ~ 17:00
[Visitors] American mother and her daughter
[Spots] Sankei-en and Cosmo World (Ferris wheel)
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Date and Time] Monday, June 15, at 10:00 ~ 17:00
[Visitors] American mother and her daughter
[Spots] Sankei-en and Cosmo World (Ferris wheel)
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
At Sankei-en, the American mother and her daughter looked overwhelmed by its garden that was larger than they had imagined. We had powdered green tea and Japanese cake at its tea house. The mother and her daughter seriously watched the skillful tea-serving manners of the tea-ceremony teacher and, as they tried to understand the meaning of “Ichigo-Ichie” (A Once-in-a-Lifetime Chance) that had been put up on the wall in front of them, they deeply nodded.
All of us had fun in the ferris wheel at Cosmo World. I took them to Yokokohama Station on the Sotetsu Line and said farewell to them there.
After every tour I always regreted how ambiguous my knowledge was. I was asked about the earthquake-proof construction of the three-storied pagoda, this time from the daughter who teaches mathematics at a high school, but I could not give her a very clear answer. Even though I am a ‘developing’ guide, I would like to believe that I could fully get across “the heart of hospitality” to them.
All of us had fun in the ferris wheel at Cosmo World. I took them to Yokokohama Station on the Sotetsu Line and said farewell to them there.
After every tour I always regreted how ambiguous my knowledge was. I was asked about the earthquake-proof construction of the three-storied pagoda, this time from the daughter who teaches mathematics at a high school, but I could not give her a very clear answer. Even though I am a ‘developing’ guide, I would like to believe that I could fully get across “the heart of hospitality” to them.
③ The Place of Birth
[Date and Time] Tuesday, June 16, at 10:00 ~ 18:30
[Visitors] American mother and her daughter
[Spots] Camp Zama, a U.S. Base, and Mt. Oyama (Afurijinja Shrine)
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
[Date and Time] Tuesday, June 16, at 10:00 ~ 18:30
[Visitors] American mother and her daughter
[Spots] Camp Zama, a U.S. Base, and Mt. Oyama (Afurijinja Shrine)
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
At 10:00, we found the fidgety American mother and her daughter by the front gate of Atsugi Base. They wore a T shirt with “BIRTHDAYPLACE TOUR 2009 JAPAN” printed on the chest. To begin with, we went to Camp Zama where the daughter was born. To our regret, however, as its security was very hard owing to the recent change in the situation, we were not allowed to enter.
Since we had a lot of time, we visited Afrijinja Shrine in Mt. Oyama. It is an old venerable shrine built 2200 years ago and, according to its history, after it was burnt down by a great earthquake, the shrine was reconstructed by Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, who was shogun in 1192-99. Therefore, the shrine has deep relations with Kamakura. In the long shopping lane up to the cable-car station, there were 200-year-old shops selling “Oyama koma, or top,” “tofu, or bean curd,” and other special products. The cable car carried us up to the shrine in six minutes. We were relieved by the shrine’s solemness and quiet scenery looking like a wash drawing. As the thunder rolled in the mountain, we had lunch late at 16:30. It was a tour full of happenings and surprises.
Since we had a lot of time, we visited Afrijinja Shrine in Mt. Oyama. It is an old venerable shrine built 2200 years ago and, according to its history, after it was burnt down by a great earthquake, the shrine was reconstructed by Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, who was shogun in 1192-99. Therefore, the shrine has deep relations with Kamakura. In the long shopping lane up to the cable-car station, there were 200-year-old shops selling “Oyama koma, or top,” “tofu, or bean curd,” and other special products. The cable car carried us up to the shrine in six minutes. We were relieved by the shrine’s solemness and quiet scenery looking like a wash drawing. As the thunder rolled in the mountain, we had lunch late at 16:30. It was a tour full of happenings and surprises.