Touring Four Kamakura “Hydrangea Temples”

First in the Floral Rankings: Meigetsuin

Seasonal flowers bloom almost continuously throughout the year at Kamakura’s temples and shrines. The most popular of these is undoubtedly the hydrangea, masses of which add color during the rainy season at the end of spring.

The temple Meigetsuin in Kita-Kamakura is the forerunner of what are popularly called ajisaidera (hydrangea temples). Over 50 years ago, word of Meigetsuin’s gorgeous stands of hydrangeas spread, and growing the shrubs became popular at temples and shrines throughout the country.

Blue mophead hydrangea line Meigetsuin’s stairs. (© Harada Hiroshi)

The first stop of our tour of hydrangea temples is, naturally, Meigetsuin. This spot is highly popular even during the rainy season, when rain or overcast skies are frequent, so the best times to avoid the crowds are immediately after the temple opens in the morning, or in late afternoon, just before closing time.

Nearly 2,500 mophead hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata) in varying shades of blue known as “Meigetsuin blue” fill the grounds, lending a cooling feeling to the air. The weathered stairs leading from the entrance to the temple’s gate, lined on both sides with the blooms, are the temple’s most visited attraction.

Visitors here tend to focus on the hydrangeas, but the splendid garden behind the temple’s main hall should not be overlooked. And at the front of the main hall, crimson azaleas bloom in the dry landscape garden, creating a wonderland of flowers.

The temple’s expansive iris garden, open when the flowers are in bloom. (© Harada Hiroshi)

Next is the nearby temple Jōchiji. This renowned Zen institution is less well-known as a famed hydrangea spot, promising visitors enjoyment of the flowers in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Lacecap hydrangeas at Jōchiji. (© Harada Hiroshi)

Lacecap hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) bloom by the pond in front of the temple’s main gate. The worn stairs leading to the belfry gate create a contrast between the ephemeral beauty of the blooms and the weight of the long history of this temple, founded in the late thirteenth century.

Iwatabako (Conandron ramondiodes) can also be spotted blooming quietly amid rock faces. (© Harada Hiroshi)

A Lesser-Known Spot Becomes a Meigetsuin Rival

Nearly 2,000 stalks of mōsōchiku tortoise-shell bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) occupy the grounds of Hōkokuji. (© Harada Hiroshi)

The third stop on our tour is the temple Hōkokuji, in the east of the city. This temple is known for its beautiful bamboo groves, but connoisseurs also visit for its hydrangeas, which form an attractive combination with the bamboo and the moss-covered ground. Particularly striking are large hydrangea shrubs that act as a backdrop to the numerous stone buddhas dotted throughout the temple grounds. Pause here for matcha while admiring the bamboo groves to enjoy a quintessentially Japanese experience.

Blue and purple blooms form a stunning backdrop to the stone statues. (© Harada Hiroshi)

A short hop on the Enoden—the Enoshima Electric Railway—brings us to our last stop, the temple Hasedera, Meigetsuin’s rival as a Kamakura ajisaidera. But in contrast to Meigetsuin, where only mophead hydrangeas are cultivated, Hasedera features over 40 different varieties of the blooming shrubs. Not only do they offer a medley of colors, the flowers also bloom at different times, offering a much longer viewing season.

Nearly 2,500 hydrangeas shrubs bring color to this sloping terrain. (© Harada Hiroshi)

Here too, the stairs lined with hydrangeas are the main attraction. Access is via queue numbers, so prior online reservations are recommended. At the top, the splendid panorama of the sandy Yuigahama shoreline unfolds in the distance, making Kamakura unique and unparalleled as the ancient capital with a view of the sea.

The view greeting visitors at the top of the staircase’s two hundred steps. (© Harada Hiroshi)

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Hasedera’s hydrangeas come in a myriad of colors. © Harada Hiroshi.)