Hydrangea or known as Ajisai (Japanese) signifies rainy season and coming of Summer in Japan. It is revered by most of the Japanese like how they do for ume and sakura. Viewing the hydrangea flower becomes a tradition when it is full bloom between early June to mid-July. People flock to public places like parks and temples to look at the different colors and hues of Ajisai. One of the famous spot to view this lovely flowers is in Hydrangea Path at Hasedera Temple in Kamakura Kanagawa, an hour away from Tokyo.
Going to Hydrangea path is free, as it is covered the entrance fee of Hasedera temple. In my experience, it took me about 3 hours in queue line just to get a 10 minutes glimpse of the Ajisai’s at the temple.
Hasedera temple was highly recommended as you can spot different colors of Ajisai such as Blue, Light Purple, Dark Purple and Yellow and the panoramic view of Sagami Bay as the background. Was it worth it? See the photos below.
The Hydrangea Path
Few people may deem this as a time waster, despite the long journey on the queue, the hot humid of the afternoon. It all pays off when you see these charming seasonal flower. It is surely a unique experience that one must try to when visiting Japan during summer.