Hydrangea - a flower of rainy season in Kamakura and Japan

Hydrangea flowers in Hasedera Temple From the middle of June to the middle of July is the rainy season in Japan. You might think as it is no-good season for travelling because of cloudy weather, high humidity and high temperature days continue.
If you think so, that's wrong! Because of beautiful hydrangea [紫陽花 (Ajisai)] flowers with various colors and shapes are bloom during the season.

Hydrangea flower is a symbol of rainy season of Japan. The typical color of flowers are blue, purple and pink, but it is easy to selective breeding, various colors and form of flowers rapidly increasing in recent years.
Blue hydrangea flower. Red hydrangea flower in Hasedera Temple.
White ajisai flower Purple hydrangea flower in Hasedera temple in Kamakura.
Especially in Kamakura, hydrangea flower is as same as or much popular than cherry blossom. Large number of tourists visit the temples and shrines in Kamakura that is known as hydrangea flower sightseeing spot everyday during the season. Because of overcrowded with too many people, Enoden Line train may be delayed on the weekend of this season.

Here we'll guide you some famous and popular spots for seeing this hydrangea flower that colors the rainy season of Japan.

Hydrangea flower spot sightseeing guide

In Hase town west of Kamakura
Gokurakuji Temple and Gokurakuji Station

Roadside near Ryukoji Temple

Underpass to Enoshima Island (In Katase Town)

In Enoshima Island Other area of Kamakura
  • Meigetsuin Temple (near Kita-kamakura Station of JR Yokosuka Line)
  • Kenchoji Temple

Hasedera Temple

Buddha statues surrounded with hydrangeas in Hasedera Temple.
Hasedera Temple [長谷寺] is one of the most famous tourist spot in Kamakura. It is not exaggeration to say that hydrangea flowers makes this temple famous for a nation-wide level.

View from Hydrangea Path of Hasedera Temple.Hasedera Temple has a small mountain trail in upper precincts. There are more than 2,500 hydrangea trees and some flowers invented by the temple is also included among them.

A great number of people visit here as soon as open the gate every morning, to go and see the the trail.
In particular on the weekend, it is necessary to wait more than 3 hours to enter here. Numbered ticket for enter to the trail may be distributed by the temple in some cases.

This "Hydrangea Path" of Hasedera Temple is a top must-go place, when you visit Kamakura on June and July.
Signboard of numbered ticket for Hydrangea Path in Hasedera Temple. Flowers and buddha statue in Hasedera's hydrangea path.
Entrance of hydrangea path of Hasedera Temple.The entrance of this hydrangea flower trail is on the left and back, facing on the front of the main temple building (Kannon-do Hall). There are no additional charge to see here.

When you climb steep and thin handmade stairs, you can see the buildings of the temple on your left and innumerable flowers of hydrangea on both side of the trail.

Small Buddha statues and stone lanterns are placed to be buried among flowers here and there. It is necessary more than 30 minutes to walk and see all of this trail when it is crowded.
View from hydrangea path of Hasedera. One of typical ajisai flower.
Hydrangea flowers and stone lantern in the garden. Lots of hydrangea flowers bloom at Hasedera Temple.
Colorful hydrangea flowers in Hasedera Temple. View from a building of Hasedera Temple.
[How to get there]
  • From Hase Station of Enoden Line, turn right in front of the station and go straight for a while.
  • Then, you will arrive at the intersection with a wide road on your right.
  • Turn left and go straight the road to the end. Here is the entrance of Hasedera Temple.
More detail guide of Hasedera Temple here.

Kosokuji Temple

Mountain path of Kosokuji Temple.
Entrance of Kosokuji Temple in Hase.Another famous hydrangea flower spot is locating next to Hasedera Temple.
This Kosokuji Temple is known as a "Temple of the flower in Kamakura" and also one of the hydrangea flower spot in Hase.
There are more than 200 kinds of various hydrangeas in the precincts of small temple.
[How to get there]
  • From Hase Station of Enoden Line, turn right in front of the station and go straight for a while.
  • Then, you will arrive at the intersection with a wide road on your right.
  • Turn left at 2nd road of at the intersection and go the gentle uphill slope until the dead-end. Here is Kosokuji Temple.
More detail guide of Kosokuji Temple here.

Goryo Jinja Shrine

Enoden train runs between hydrangea flowers near Goryo Jinja.
Goryo Jinja Shrine becomes popular flower spot in recent years. Around 100 hydrangea trees are planted on the sidewalk along with railroad and around the railroad crossing that is a entrance of the shrine.
Here was a secret place to the people in the know, but came to be known that could see a train together with beautiful flowers by photographers.
In other places in the precincts, there are many hydrangea trees too.
A railroad crossing that is also the entrance of Goryo Jinja Shrine is covered with hydrangea flowers. Torii gate of Goryo Jinja Shrine and ajisai flowers
[How to get there]
  • From Hase Station, cross the road in front of the station and go right until the road next to Shugenji Temple [收玄寺].
  • Turn left to go this road then turn left again at the end of the road.
  • There is a unpaved alley on your right, go straight the alley until a stone Torii gate. Here is Goryo Jinja Shrine.
More detail guide of Goryo Jinja Shrine here.

Jojuin Temple

Famous ocean-view from "Slope of Hydrangeas" in Jojuin Temple.
Overview of the "Slope of Hydrangeas" in Jojuin Temple.Jojuin Temple is a small and tranquil temple in the mountain between Hase and Gokurakuji.
But in June and July, a lot of people come to see hydrangea flowers everyday.
262 hydrangea trees planted along the east side of slope and the seascape of Kamakura over the flowers are well known here.

However, the temple is on going renovation work of the slope and re-plant of hydrangeas. It seems to require 2 or 3 years until the same scenery we looked before.

* It is unable to see hydrangea flowers in 2017, because the trees are re-planted.
[How to get there]
  • From Gokurakuji Station, turn left in front of the station and go uphill slope.
  • Go right road at the intersection near the red bridge.
  • As you walk along the way, you will see a long stairway on your right front. This is the western entrance of Jojuin Temple.
More detail guide of Jojuin Temple here.

Gokurakuji Temple and Gokurakuji Station

The gate of Gokurakuji Temple and hydrangea flowers.
Hydrangea flowers opposite of Gokurakuji Station.Gokurakuji Temple is famous for row of cherry trees. But also popular spot of hydrangea flowers together with Jojuin Temple in the neighborhood.

Gokurakuji Station of Enoden Line is also good to see the flower. Potted flowers are displayed inside and outside of the station. In addition, very many flowers bloom on the slant just opposite of the station.
Gokurakuji Station building and ajisai flowers. Inside of Gokurakuji Station is also displays hydrangea flowers.

Roadside near Ryukoji Temple

Big hydrangea tree is in the undarpass to Enoshima.
From the railroad crossing near Ryukoji Temple to intersection near Katase Higashihama Beach, many hydrangea trees planted in the roadside. Here is the place where colorful hydrangea flowers and Enoden trains are seen together.

Underpass to Enoshima

Big hydrangea tree is in the undarpass to Enoshima.
On the way to Enoshima Island, there is a big hydrangea tree at the underground square of underpass that is in between stairway and public restroom.
It is not famous for a flower spot, but it is rare such a big hydrangea tree. If you come here during the flower season, please look back here!
[How to get there]
  • From Katase-Enoshima Station, Cross a bridge in front of the station first of all.
  • There is a downstairs on your right and go down it. You'll arrive at the underground square, and the tree is in your left.
  • From Enoshima Station and Shonan-Enoshima station, Turn left in front of the station and go straight until seaside.
  • At the seaside, there is a slope on your right front. when you go down the slope, here is the underground square. The tree is in your back right.

Alley to Nishiura Cove (near Nakamise Street)

Ajisai flowers near Nishiura Cove.
There is some hydrangea trees that bloom dark purple flowers in the alley on the way to Nishiura Cove in Enoshima Island.
Here is not famous flower spot, but the flowers are big and is worth seeing. And it is possible to see fantastic Mt.Fuji from Nishiura Cove, if the sky is clear.
You should drop in if you have time.
[How to get there]
  • Pass through the green bronze Torii gate and climb the slope of Nakamise Street.
  • On your right side of the middle of the slope, there is a very small alley between Harumi Shokudo restaurant and Iwamotoro Ryokan hotel.
  • Go straight the alley to the end and down the stair, here is Nishiura Cove.
More detail area guide for Nishiura Cove and Nakamise Street.

Around Enoshima Jinja Shrine

Hydrangea flowers and Red Torii gate in Enoshima Jinja Shrine.
Hydrangea flowers at the stairway.Around Enoshima Jinja Shrine, there are 2 hydrangea flower spot.
Beside of Zuishinmon tower gate, there is some hydrangea trees and able to see the flowers with Red Torii gate, Just like a Japanese landscape, if you look back.

Another flower spot is in the bypass stairway between the Red Torii gate and Nakatsunomiya Square. Several hydrangea trees are planted side by side along the stairs here.
[How to get there]
  • Go up the slope of Nakamise Street to the big Red Torii gate.
  • Then, go up stairway of the tower gate. You will find some flowers on our left.
  • Another spot is located outside of the precincts of the shrine. If you are from Enoshima Jinja Shrine, go to direction for Nakatsunomiya Square.
  • When you pass through the dark brown Torii gate and down few stairs, there is a downstairs on your left. The flower blooms there, too.
More detail guide of Enoshima Jinja Shrine here.

Kamegaoka Square and Oiwayamichi way

Ajisai flowars in Kamegaoka Square.
Hydrangea trees are also planted outside of Kamegaoka Square, the highest place of Enoshima Island. There are some trees also around the entrance gate of Samuel Cocking Garden.
In Oiwayamichi way, that connecting the square and Okutsunomiya Jinja Shrine, hydrangea trees are planted in places along the way, also you can find some of them in the steep cliff from the stairs at Yama-futatsu valley.
Hydrangea flowers are partially planted along the way in Enoshima. Ajisai flowers in the steep cliff slope.

Okutsunomiya Shrine

A short hydrangea trail in Okutsunomiya, Enoshima.
Around Okutsunomiya Shrine is like a garden and many kind of plants are planted, and one of them is hydrangea. Perhaps, here is the best hydrangea flower viewing spot inside of Enoshima Island.
In the right back of the shrine building, there is a really short trail, but many flowers bloom densely here. It is not magnificent as the one in Hasedera Temple in Kamakura, but don't miss it if you come here. Also next to the shop opposite the shrine, hydrangea trees are planted to surround a stone lantern.
Beside this, some big hydrangea trees are planted on the way to Ryuren no Kane.
Some big hydrangea trees planted near the shrine. Ajisai flower and old Torii gate in Enoshima
Hydrangea flowers around the Torii gate. Some hydrangea flowers bloom on the way to Ryuren no Kane a.k.a. love bell.
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