JICA Tour on Sep.7, 2019

Today we have 15 guests from JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). They come to Japan to take part in JICA training from 12 countries, such as Myanmar, Philippine, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Mongolia, Iraq, Montenegro, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Botswana and Egypt.

It’s a very hot day, so some participant changes his T-shirt 3 times.

(Later I know it’s a record high in temperature at September.)

We got on the cable car that is the steepest in Japan.

Because of high temperature, a train company provide free handy fan

at the station.

  

 Mt.Takao has 599 M in high and has many steps to the peak.

At the top of mountain, some member are short of breath, but we tell them that the nature of Mt.Takao purify your spirit and get rid of your suffering, that is called 108 worldly sins in Buddhism, so you made it !

At the peak of Mt.Takao

At Lunch time

We ask the participants to fill out tourism questionnaire.

Because people to answer this questionnaire, tourist information center provide a small present (Japanese traditional item)

Today we are so lucky, because Mt.Takao has special event of fire ritual.

That is Buddhism event to burn cedar tree, that symbolize Buddha’s wisdom to burn away your 108 worldly sins. Here again we are purified !

Although it’s a hot day, all guests seem to enjoy our tour and we also enjoy the tour with them.

 (by Guchi)

TENGU August regular tour

TENGU August regular tour was held on August 18 (Sunday). It was a typical Japanese summer day, hot and humid and far from the confortable day, but the weather condition did not spoil our Mt. Takao tour. We had four young guests from overseas, Canada ,USA and Taiwan ,and one Japanese observer who had great interest to join to our volunteer group. A Canadian gentleman was in intern course in a Japanese university, ladies from Canada and USA came to Japan recently under the Assistant English language scheme. A lady from Taiwan was a university student reading social welfare.    
Four TENGU members, slightly aged but with full of energy, hosted the four young guests.
As usual we met at the Takaosanguchi station and caught a cable car at 10:15AM and then took the trail No1 toward Mt. Takao summit. Due to high humidity and hazy the visibility was poor, could see neither Shinjuku skyscrapers nor Mt.Fuji. what a pity !

TENGU staff explained several interesting and historic points on the way to the top e.g. Monkey center, Octopus tree, Buddhist and Shinto Temple, Tengu(long- nosed goblin), nature of the Mt. Takao, Buddhist relic stupa, Goma ritual at Yakuouin temple, etc. etc.
Even though it was the weekend and middle of the summer vacation season, the mountain trails were not very busy and enjoyed the walking and chats.
During the lunch time, some of our guests were attacked by mosquitos, to minimize casualties we should prepare Katori-sennko(mosquito coil) next time.

After lunch we walked down to the station, taking the trail No.4, which was via popular suspension bridge, and arrived at Takaosannguchi. Surprisingly or/and fortunately, Hikawa jinja shrine near the train station held regular summer festival on that day. Guests showed great interests to the Festival costume ,Omikoshi(portable shrine) and colorful decoration for Bon dancing and several stalls.
However, time was rather limited for us, we had to greeted each other and declared the finish of today’s TENGU tour just before 3:00pm. It was another great and enjoyable day !

 Written by Tad,