I finally got to visit Myōgetsu-in Temple in Kamakura, known for its hydrangeas, which I had been curious about for several years. I brought my LUMIX G9proII and Leica DG12-60mm camera.
Originally founded in the Heian period, the temple changed its name and patron over the years, eventually becoming a sub-temple of Zenko-ji Temple during the Kamakura period under the protection of the Hojo clan. In the Meiji era, the main temple was abandoned, leaving only the sub-temple, which is now known as Myōgetsu-in.
At some point, the small temple gained popularity as the “Hydrangea Temple” and is said to be one of the pioneers among the many “flower temples” in the ancient city of Kamakura. Located just a short walk from JR North Kamakura Station, which is only about 50 minutes from Tokyo Station, it is extremely convenient, and I had heard that it becomes very crowded during peak season.
Therefore, I had braced myself for the crowds on this weekend during the break in the rainy season, so I was not surprised by the long line at the main gate.
Yeah, I wasn’t surprised… but…
The narrow path through the temple grounds was crowded with more visitors than it could handle, so the line moved VERY slowly, which was a bit unexpected.
That said, there were just as many flowers as there were people, and the slow pace actually made it easier to take time to admire and photograph the flowers along the path.
There were many female visitors at the hydrangea temple. I didn’t intend to, but their backs looked good in my snapshots, which helped me quite a bit photographically.
Depending on the subject, time, and circumstances, there is a strange phenomenon where photos with men in them somehow don’t work as photos. I don’t think it’s simply because I’m a male who feels this way… This topic seems to have quite a lot of cultural and psychological depth. Let’s put it aside for now.
Now, here’s a photo that doesn’t feature hydrangeas.
Next to the tomb of Hojo Tokiyori, lovely plum fruits were hanging heavily, creating a beautiful scene with the hydrangeas.
Some people refer to the bluish color of these hydrangeas as “Meigetsu-in Blue,” and while it is indeed beautiful, there were also many other flowers with rich, nuanced colors. I have a few more photos, so I will share them in my next article.
