Date & Time: Friday, December 5, 9:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Spots: Enoshima Island, Kotoku-in Temple, Hasedera Temple, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, and Komachi-dori Street
Visitor: An American woman
Guide: Masayuki, KSGG
Language: English
The visitor is a cheerful woman, and this was her first visit to Japan. First of all, she enjoyed Enoshima Island, where the 1,500-year tradition of worshipping the dragon god blends with its natural beauty. Enoshima is a small island connected to the mainland by a bridge, with many sightseeing spots along its hilly walking paths. Over the course of visiting three shrines enshrining three goddesses, she learned about Shinto, a Japanese religion that dates back to ancient times. She actively tried the purification ritual at the hand-washing area and paid homage at the worship hall, and felt the solemn atmosphere.
At the top of the island, she leisurely took in the magnificent 360-degree view of the Pacific Ocean, Mt. Fuji, and the mainland from Enoshima Sea Candle (the observation deck). On the rocky shore leading to Enoshima Iwaya Caves at the tip of the island, she savored the gentle breeze and the sound of the waves. In Enoshima Iwaya Caves, she came across a shrine dedicated to the dragon god within the depth of the cave and felt the thrill of walking through the darkness only with tiny candle lights.
The visitor and the guide enjoyed a lunch of tekka-don (a tuna sashimi rice bowl) at a Japanese restaurant, chatting a lot, and finished every last bite.
After visiting Enoshima Island, she rode the Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway), which narrowly squeezed through the track between closely packed houses, and soon arrived in Kamakura.
She admired the beauty of the Great Buddha at Kotoku-in Temple, against the yellow leaves of ginkgo trees in the background.
At Hasedera Temple, she was amazed by the wooden Kannon Bodhisattva, an impressive nine-meter-tall statue. In the Japanese garden, she perceived a natural beauty unlike the wild charm of Enoshima, which consisted of a pond where carp swam, moss-covered rocks shining under the red autumn leaves, a small waterfall and babbling brooks, and several stone lanterns.
At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, she observed aspects of traditional Japanese culture, including Shichi-Go-San*1 shrine visits and a Shinto wedding ceremony.
Finally, walking through Komachi-dori Street, she ate Japanese sweets, such as mitarashi dango (sweet rice dumplings with a soy sauce glaze) and bought matcha daifuku (a soft rice cake filled with matcha-flavored sweet bean paste) as a souvenir.
That day, the pedometer showed over 30,000 steps. She said to the guide “Today was the most fulfilling day of my time in Japan!”. His heart was warmed, and he felt truly happy.
*1: Shichi-Go-San is a ritual celebrating the growth of children at the ages of seven, five, three years old.