Date & Time: Monday, May 13, 11:40 a.m. −4:30 p.m.
Spots: Hasedera Temple, Kotokuin Temple( Great Buddha), Sugimotodera Temple, Hokokuji Temple and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Visitors: 6 Canadian men and women
Attendant: 1 KSGG member
Language: English
The visitors were a group of six Canadians who have been very good friends for a long time. Having already visited Himeji, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto and Hakone together, they requested us to take them to as many sightseeing spots as possible during the half-day tour. So we started our trip at Shichirigahama Sation, which is close to their hotel. The weather was good all day and we had a peaceful, pleasant, and exciting trip. They were fascinated by the magnificent view from Mt.Kannonyama, and laughed at one of the visitors who stroked the belly of her husband instead of that of Daikoku,, the God of Wealth with a big belly. After I explained the difference between the Great Buddha of Nara and that of Kamakura, we quenched our thirst with Obama Ice Cream*1 and took some group photos in a comical pose in front of the moss-covered stone steps in Sugimotodera Temple. The bamboo garden of Hokokuji Temple seemed to remind them of that of Kyoto. They were surprised at the big carp swimming in Namekawa River, played with a boy whom they ran into and took some more photos. When they were strolling around Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, it was getting dark with an evening calm. At the very end of the tour, each of them received a Washi-Ningyo( handmade Japanese paper doll) from Kanagawa SGG Club. It was really impressive to see them all appreciating it very much and carefully putting them into their bags. The time has come to say good-bye to the exciting tour in Kamakura, whose beautiful surroundings, quiet atmosphere took us back to our childhood.
*1 Obama Ice Cream: The 44th president of the United States, Mr. Barack Obama visited Kamakura in 2014 and had a Matcha( powdered green tea) ice cream at Kotokuin Temple( Great Buddha). The ice cream has become popular as Obama Ice Cream since then.