[Date & Time] Sunday, March 7, at 10:00-15:30
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimanngu, Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 15 AOTS participants from 2 countries, with 9 from China (two of them joined only in the morning), and 6 from the Philippines
[Participants’ occupations] Electronic instruments manufacture, Electric appliances manufacture, Food-related business, Transportation, etc.
[Attendants] 8 KSGG members
[Languages] English, Chinese, and Japanese
We began to guide the participants in a light rain in cold winterlike weather. All the people from the Philippines bought gloves and dropped into a hat store at Komachi-dori. Fortunately, they could see a wedding and an elegant celebration dance on the Maiden for the first time. Seeing a waving flag with “1700th Anniversary of Enshrined Emperor Ojin” printed on, we reminisced about the far past. At lunch time we went into a local Japanese food restaurant serving a variety of dishes with an air of the public. The visitors were pleased with the Japanese food that they did not find in the menu of a Japanese restaurant in their country. As it was very cold, two participants had to leave early. Before the Great Buddha and at other places, the participants asked questions enthusiastically and, above all, showed special interest in the tsunami that collapsed the structure housing the Great Buddha. On our way back, one of the participants found out of the train window the display of the temperature that was as low as 5.5 ℃. It was really cold, but we could enjoy the tour thanks to the cheerful participants.
My guide debut in Chinese
As I learned to speak Chinese, I made up my mind to join the tour in March to see if my fresh Chinese greetings can get across to the AOTS participants. However, I could only have a few opportunities to exchange a greeting, for I was unable to be as active as other experienced members. Actually, I was unable to speak up more than half of what I had prepared to tell them.
The visitors were all full of curiosity and fond of shopping. When I said, “It rained and was very cold today. Wasn’t it terrible?,” they did not care the weather at all and replied cheerfully, “We have an umbrella. No problem.” Then I could see their feeling trying to make our tour enjoyable. Also, I had to leave all explanations to our veteran members, to which I was very much obliged. I bothered them a lot, but I could have an informative and fruitful experience. I would like to express my sincere thanks to them. I will brush up my Chinese and join the tour again in the near future..
The photo shows Hachimangu’s Big Gingko Tree, which was taken on the day of our tour. Everyone must have had an impression that it looked bigger than usual.
Hachimangu’s Big Gingko Tree, the symbol of Kamakura, fell down:
The tree, which had quietly kept watching the transition of Kamakura for as long a time as more than 800 years, was tumbled by a wind in the early morning of March 10 of this year. May its new generation grow safely to watch over Kamakura for another 1,000 years.
The photo was taken on March 7, three days before its fall.
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimanngu, Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 15 AOTS participants from 2 countries, with 9 from China (two of them joined only in the morning), and 6 from the Philippines
[Participants’ occupations] Electronic instruments manufacture, Electric appliances manufacture, Food-related business, Transportation, etc.
[Attendants] 8 KSGG members
[Languages] English, Chinese, and Japanese
We began to guide the participants in a light rain in cold winterlike weather. All the people from the Philippines bought gloves and dropped into a hat store at Komachi-dori. Fortunately, they could see a wedding and an elegant celebration dance on the Maiden for the first time. Seeing a waving flag with “1700th Anniversary of Enshrined Emperor Ojin” printed on, we reminisced about the far past. At lunch time we went into a local Japanese food restaurant serving a variety of dishes with an air of the public. The visitors were pleased with the Japanese food that they did not find in the menu of a Japanese restaurant in their country. As it was very cold, two participants had to leave early. Before the Great Buddha and at other places, the participants asked questions enthusiastically and, above all, showed special interest in the tsunami that collapsed the structure housing the Great Buddha. On our way back, one of the participants found out of the train window the display of the temperature that was as low as 5.5 ℃. It was really cold, but we could enjoy the tour thanks to the cheerful participants.
My guide debut in Chinese
As I learned to speak Chinese, I made up my mind to join the tour in March to see if my fresh Chinese greetings can get across to the AOTS participants. However, I could only have a few opportunities to exchange a greeting, for I was unable to be as active as other experienced members. Actually, I was unable to speak up more than half of what I had prepared to tell them.
The visitors were all full of curiosity and fond of shopping. When I said, “It rained and was very cold today. Wasn’t it terrible?,” they did not care the weather at all and replied cheerfully, “We have an umbrella. No problem.” Then I could see their feeling trying to make our tour enjoyable. Also, I had to leave all explanations to our veteran members, to which I was very much obliged. I bothered them a lot, but I could have an informative and fruitful experience. I would like to express my sincere thanks to them. I will brush up my Chinese and join the tour again in the near future..
The photo shows Hachimangu’s Big Gingko Tree, which was taken on the day of our tour. Everyone must have had an impression that it looked bigger than usual.
Hachimangu’s Big Gingko Tree, the symbol of Kamakura, fell down:
The tree, which had quietly kept watching the transition of Kamakura for as long a time as more than 800 years, was tumbled by a wind in the early morning of March 10 of this year. May its new generation grow safely to watch over Kamakura for another 1,000 years.
The photo was taken on March 7, three days before its fall.