[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.