[Spots] Engakuji Temple, Tokeiji Temple, Kenchoji Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and Komachi Dori Street
[Visitors] 16 participants from China, Slovenia, Korea, Germany, France, the US, Australia, Brazil, and Japan
[Attendants] 2 KSGG members
[Language] English
Under a cloudy sky with a little rain, the bus started a little later than the fixed time. It was a tour of Zen temples at Kitakamakura. On the bus I explained the history of Kamakura as usual and also a concise explanation about what Zen is, which was a difficult topic. I explained it, choosing words carefully. I hope they understood my explanation.
At Engakuji Temple, first we saw the practice of Japanese archery in the archery hall. Some colored leaves and the quiet atmosphere of the Zen temple went well, which pleased the visitors. At Tokeiji Temple, which is also called “Temple of Divorce,” women visitors let out an exclamation when I told them the origin of its name. At Kenchoji Temple, we happened to see the repair work of a thatched roof, which the visitors got greatly interested in. We went to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in the dusk of the evening. The night view of Wakamiya Oji seen from Honden of the Shrine was magnificent. The participants listened eagerly to our explanations and sometimes asked us sharp questions. It was very difficult to decide how long we should spend at each place. However, thankfully, we enjoyed a fruitful time with them.