[Date & Time] Saturday, January 14, at 13:30~17:00
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple, Hasedera Temple, and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
[Visitors] 33 Professors attending the Academic Meeting on Computer Science (from U.S., Italy, Greece, Russia, Egypt, India, Jordan, Israel, Hong Kong, China, and so on, including 2 Japanese organizers)
[Attendants] 3 KSGG members
We left Shonan International Village around 13:30 by bus. On the bus, after our self-introduction and the explanation of KSGG and today's itinerary, we started our guiding. Zeroing in on the topic of the Shintoism, we explained about the miracle of the lone pine-tree which survived the tsunami disaster of March 11 in Rikuzentakata City, the perspective of Dankazura when we see it at Hachimangu Shrine, and wearing a kimono (at New Year's first visit to a shrine).
The scientists asked us a variety of questions at every spot. At Kotokuin Temple, they asked the questions about the materials used to make Daibutsu and the cornerstones of the hall of Daibutsu. At Hasedera Temple, they intensely listened to our explanations about the swastika-shaped pond, the types of Buddha statues and the benefit we can get from each of them.
At Hachimangu Shrine, since everything they saw seemed to be new to them, they continually asked us questions on driving away evil, clothes of Shinto priests, miko (young women who serve to the shrine), omamori (talisman), omikuji (fortune- telling), hamaya (good luck arrow), and so on. They were particularly interested in driving away evil spirits. The professors who luckily escaped an unlucky year said, "I'm relieved." For me, Islamic people praying in the Shinto style at Shrine made an impressive sight.