[Date & Time] Friday, July 29, at 9:30～17:00[Spots] Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha), Hasedera Temple, Hokokuji Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and Komachi Dori Street
[Visitors] 2 Americans (A woman and her grandson)
[Language] English
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
In the middle of summer right after the rainy season, I guided an American woman and her grandson who were close to each other from New York. Both of them are tall and blessed with a splendid physique. They told me that she walks a lot for her health and he is a swimmer.
Escaping the summer heat, from their hotel in Minato Mirai 21, we took a train and a bus to Kotokuin Temple where the Great Buddha is located. They seemed to be greatly moved by Daibutsu (the Great Buddha) sitting under the blue sky and took a lot of photos of the Great Buddha. They also enjoyed going into the interior of Daibutsu. After having strolled around the rich green garden at Hasedera Temple and enjoyed the nice view of Yuigahama beach and the surroundings, they bent their backs and passed through Benten-Kutsu Cave. In the afternoon, we got off the bus on our way back from Hokokuji Temple and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, where they showed much interest in the sake barrels on display as well as in the legend of the great ginkgo tree with shime-nawa (sacred straw festoon put up around). I think they enjoyed Kamakura on the last day of their first trip to Japan, after having visited Kyoto and Nara. I really felt their strong family tie in the grandmother’s tender eyes toward her grandson and at the same time in her grandson’s casual support with her cell phone, money handling, and her hand luggage.