The private tour (２０１９/１１/１）

We were supposed to meet our guests at 9:30 as usual, and today’s guides (Nabe, Comson, Ryo) greeted each other at about 9:10. The minute Ryo put up the TENGU sign, Australian travelers  (Mari-Louise and Bruce)appeared in front of us as if by a magic. Wow! Excellent efficiency like our Bullet train. At 9:15
we started climbing. A beautiful autumn morning with pleasant temperature, too. They are here to see The Rugby World Cup 2019 Tokyo, and are, naturally, the fans of Australian Wallabies and New Zealand All Blacks.

All the way to the end we were lucky. 
We witnessed the priest processions of the 10:30 service. We had a poster like stunning view of Mt. Fuji at the summit. We also saw a Mamushi (poisonous snake) on the way.
Our guests were eager learners, were curious about all the stories and the histories we told. Nabe and Comson must have enjoyed having wonderful listeners. Enclosed please find some pictures of guiding spots. Sweeper boy, Flying squirrel, and so on and so on. 

Hey! M&L we only left footsteps, didn’t we? ( Sweeper boy)  Let me remind you that Bruce even picked up some trash.  Also, when an elderly man fell on the trail, he was quick to help him stand up.
We saw an Asagimadara (Chestnut Butterfly) along the way, also came across our future generations, nursery kids, grammar school pupils and high school students. We could have lunch, surrounded by the 9 years old school children full of energy .  Another treat to our appetite.
After hearing about 108 delusions and the significance of 108 stone steps at Otokozaka, M&L went quickly up to the top and posed Banzai -a titanic like posture with both hands up.
On our way down on the Ride Trail, they had an international phone call, and had a serious conversation. It was from their credit card company, concerning about a certain purchase. It turned out to be a fraud.
In the middle of the quiet, peaceful mountain , an international call about a card fraud. A detective novel!  We sure live in a modern world.
Congratulations on NEW ZELAND’s Bronze victory over Whales!

By Ryo

TENG private tour on Oct.26

Since the previous day it rained a lot around Mt.Takao, we worried about the weather and walking condition. However fortunately it was one of the nicest days we had. We enjoyed the view of skyscrapers and Tokyo sky tree and Mt. Fuji covered with fresh snow, though our tour ended at Yakuo-in temple.   

This day we had two groups, five guests total. Our guests, team B, were one American lady and her friends, a lady and a gentleman from Holland. Amazingly he wrote a book about Japanese style fermentation and makes ‘Natto’ by himself. 

First we talked about the sweeper boy and flying squirrel at the foot of mountain and took the cable car to the middle. 

We guided through the trail #1 to Yakuo-in temple, talking about Octopus cedar tree, rich nature of mountain, stratum formed 100million years ago, Izuna-Daigonngen, 108 human desperation and Buddhism and Shintoism. Our guests had enough knowledge about Buddhism, so we had many question about it. Some of them were hard to answer to me.

Since our guests booked Buddhist dishes at Yakuo-in for lunch, we visited and explained the main hall of temple and Gongendo before arriving dining place. 

Finally we took a photo together and end the tour. The American lady is a journalist and writing many articles in paper. So we are looking forward to read her article of this tour. It will be good support for TENGU.

 Guided by Nabe, Shin and written by Tack. >>

TENGU October Regular Tour

Our tour was held on Sunday 20 October. We were worried about the damage of Mt. Takao caused from the huge and strong typhoon No.19 recently hit Eastern Japan: there were the widespread damage like mudslide, flood etc. We did information gathering carefully before our tour, so that trails we selected were almost ordinary and safe. 

We had two young guests from Germany and they were staying in Tokyo as exchange students of a public university. We met at the Takaozanguchi station and caught a cable car and took the trail No.1 after we saw Shinjuku skyscrapers from view points.

Our staff explained several historic and impressive points on the way and our guests paid attention and listened to the explanation eagerly.

In front of Eight Dragon King’s Hall where is popular because of its offbeat idea of washing money: it is said that the waters of the basin were able to multiply the money washed in it.

After lunch we walked down to the chair-lift station through the trail No. 4: there was the popular suspension bridge.

Both of our guests were strong walkers, so we went back to the cable car station at the foot of Mt.Takao in the early afternoon and declared the finish of the regular tour.

It was very enjoyable day!

(Written by Nobby)

JICA Tour on Oct.5, 2019

Not a cloud in the sky!!

The shining sun welcomed the 10 guests from six counties. They came to Japan through the programs of JICA, Japan International Cooperation Agency.  

We all got together in front of the Takao-san Guchi Station and introduced ourselves in turn, and then started the tour.  

We got on the cable car to go halfway up the mountain.  As soon as we got out of it, the sweet flavor came drifting in the air. There was no reason not to try “Tengu-yaki”, Tengu-shaped pancake with sweet bean paste inside, which is the bestseller in the mountain.

Smile with “Tengu-Yaki”

Walking along the Trail #1, we ran into a group of Japanese women wearing travel costumes of the Samurai Era. They were so friendly that they could hit it off with our international group right away!!

Together with women wearing Kimono

On the top of the mountain, we enjoyed an activity all together after lunch. One of our guides, Chiko, suddenly opened a piece of large paper in front of us and started to explain about Japanese word chain game and its song titled “ Kobuta(piggy), Tanuki(Raccoon dog), Kitsune(Fox), Neko(Cat)”, and then we started to sing the song all together. Surprisingly, people from six countries mastered the Japanese song quickly and started to sing it in chorus. For them, it was no problem even though its rhythm was getting faster and faster.

Fun Activity after lunch presented by Chiko

Top of Mt. Takao

We started to go down the mountain, using the trail #4. Though it is tougher than the trail #1, people from JICA appeared to hike happily in the pristine nature. 

Hiking on the Trail #4

We dropped by at the trees hugging each other that are called “Love Love Trees” and the suspension bridge. These two are the best photo spots on the trail #4.

In front of “Love Love Trees”

On the Suspension Bridge

We returned to the middle of the mountain and from there we went down to the foot of the mountain by using the chair lifts that is one of the highlights of today's tour. As soon as getting off the lift, one of the gusts said to me, “What a fun ride!! I want to ride the lift again by going halfway up the mountain from now.” I laughed.

Smiles on the chair lift

We got together on the foot of the mountain to take a group photo, and we again sang the song of “Kobuta, Tanuki, Kitsune, Neko” in chorus, saying goodbye to each other with a big smile.

 (Reported by HIDE)

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,

Report of JICA tour on 3rd August

After a long rainy season, a harsh summer has come. Today, we have 4guests from Myanmar, Pakistan, and Jordan, and have a visitor. We started the tour on time. In spite of a high WBGT, many people were in front of the station.

 We took the cable car at 10 a.m. and enjoyed nice scenery.  Around the upper Cable car station, mountain lilies and Chestnut Tigers Butterfly welcomed us.

A lot of religious structures are on the way to Yakuo-in Temple and in the temple. Our guests were very interested in them. Therefore our guides could explain with passion・・・for example, about worldly desires, relationship with Shintoism and Buddhism, Izunadaigongen that is the principle image of Yakuo-in temple and so on.

 Under strong sunshine, we went up many steps to the top of the mountain. It was like a hard training for mountain monks!

 We reached the top at 12:30. Today, Mt. Fuji was covered with clouds. Our member reserved benches for our lunch time. So, we could have lunch smoothly. After that, we made cranes from special Japanese paper.

At 1:15, we went down trail 1⇒Irohanomori-trail⇒trail 4⇒trail1、at last, we took a chair lift. It was the highlight of today’s tour. Because, it was exciting and we could see a nice view. We had to say good-by at the lower Cable car station. We hope today’s tour will be a good memory of our guests.

(written by Kate)