Even though it was a break in the rainy season, the sky looked as if it might rain at any moment. Continuing from my previous article, I took my LUMIX G9proII and Leica DG12-60mm to Meigetsu-in Temple in North Kamakura to photograph hydrangeas.
As expected, it was a busy weekend during the peak season at this famous “Hydrangea Temple,” even for someone as uninformed as me. I made my way through the slow-moving crowd, finding gaps to capture the vibrant hydrangeas in full bloom throughout the temple grounds.
Looking up at the roof of the main hall through the crowd.
A photo of light violet hydrangea flowers.
The fact that what looks like flowers are actually modified leaves called ”decorative flowers” is a bit of trivia that we can skip for now.
A cluster of different colored flowers in the distance.
The white hydrangeas are also beautiful.
Looking down on the bustle in front of the main hall.
There is also a garden behind the main hall, but it was so crowded that I decided to skip it this time. Additionally, the main hall has a famous round window (probably called the “Window of Enlightenment” since it’s a Zen temple), and the line of people trying to photograph the hydrangeas through the window was so intense that I also skipped that.
I’ll save the essence of the Zen temple for the Karesansui(dry landscape garden) instead. This is the only photo without hydrangeas from this trip.
Flowers with subtle color variations against the backdrop of the main gate roof.
And so, that was my first visit to Hydrangea Temple, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
