Guiding the Couple around Kamakura (first day)
[Date & Time] Monday, September 19, 8:40—14:20
[Spots] Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Hasedera Temple, and Kotokuin Temple (Great Buddha)
[Visitors] 1 Spanish couple
[Attendant] 1 KSGG member
[Language] Spanish
In the morning of the tour, I received an e-mail with a picture of Totsuka Station. It said, “We are now at Higashi-Totsuka Station. Is this the right train?” I felt as if we were already friends because we had exchanged a lot of e-mails. When I met them for the first time, they did not seem to be strangers. At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, first we purified ourselves by washing our hands and rinsing our mouths at temizuya (a water basin). Then they drew omikuji (a slip of fortune-telling paper). His fortune was kichi (second best), but hers was kyo (bad) with “Beware of marriage.” I smiled wryly because I had heard that he would propose to her during this tour.
On Komachi Dori Street they bought sake, tried tsukemono (pickles), and enjoyed shopping at a beans shop, filling their mouths with senbei (rice crackers). At Hasedera Temple, it began drizzling but stopped soon. We visited the garden of Room of Sutras Copy with kare-sansui (a rock garden).
At Kotokuin Temple, they were surprised at the huge size of the Great Buddha and got inside of it. After that we had lunch. He had sashimi-zen (raw fish and small dishes) and she enjoyed sukiyaki with beef from Hayama. He ate a little wasabi, mistaking it for avocado! They looked delighted with washi-ningyo (paper dolls made of Japanese traditional paper), which I gave to them.
As I had heard many times about Spanish greetings, we parted with a farewell kiss. I heartily hope they will be happy.
