[Date & Time] Wednesday, August
6, at 13:00~16:20
[Spots] Kotokuin Temple (Great
Buddha), Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and Komachi Dori street
[Visitors] 26 SEDI participants
from 9 countries, with 7 each from China and Japan, 3 from the U.S., 2 each
from France, U.K., and Taiwan, 1 each from Iran, Switzerland, and Germany
[Language] English
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
Two buses were prepared and left the village with 1
KSGG member each. On the bus I explained
about the Great Buddha and Hachimangu Shrine briefly. I told them that many Japanese are Buddhist,
but that it is a Japanese custom to pay a visit to a shrine, adding Buddhism and Shinto coexist. After a short visit to Great Buddha, we
headed for Hachimangu Shrine. As it was
hot outside, I explained about the Shrine using the illustration and photos of
its precincts on the bus. That day was
the first day of Bonbori Matsuri at the Shrine.
Natsukoshi Matsuri was also held and Shinto priests and shrine maidens
were preparing for the festival. I had
the visitors walk freely around the precincts and sometimes explained about
important points. After they strolled along the Komachi Dori Street, all of
them gathered at the setting time. They
seemed to have had a good time.
